How To Train Your Demon
by ClassyMuse
Summary: Slightly AU-ish of S4. What do you get when a demon 'escapes' from Hell? What does it do in the battle for humanity?
1. Prologue: How It Is

_**Non-Canon, but I just wanted to have a little fun.**_

_**I don't own them. If I did, there would have been an episode where they came down to Athens, Ohio and did actual shooting there.**_

All my life, which is practically a millennia, I have seen countless human souls cashed in to hell. Other demons and I made friendly bets on which poor soul Alistair would crack first. I had a tendency to win. We would bet on who would get time to work under him and I had to say, I was pretty well seasoned. I had a good idea of what people sold their souls for before Alistair could tell me. He liked me the most because I made the torture slightly ironic.

The thing about the demon world is that it is a caste system. When we come into existence in hell we have our pre-determined jobs, kind of like angels. The higher demons worked closely by the cage and with The King. They are total bad-asses. There are very few of them, but you can't exactly spread that kind of power around. Then there are what the human world calls Crossroad Demons, the sales people. One could liken them to the state college grads of the human world living in suburbia. They do their job, they cash in the reward, they live happily in their own world going one job to the next. They make my job possible. The next class is kind of like the researchers, the surveyors if you will. They have no name since they get human ones when they go up and even those change. They go up to earth, take on a couple meatsuits, carry out a few missions and come back with whatever information they have. They always come back with the best stories about humans and their stupidity. I was always enamored by the humans, until I started working.

Then there is my class, the lower order. We are the workers, the minions. Before Alistair took my 'class' in I felt like I could do something else despite being born with a predetermined role in Hell. I accepted it once I saw my first human. The soul made a deal to keep get rid of his mistress as his wife got close to finding out his affaire. He would have been ruined. Selfish asshole had the mistress killed. While I was 'raised' to enjoy that kind of thing, it really disgusted me. I cut off his junk everyday in hell, and for some reason it has morphed itself into a good luck ritual.

There was one day a soul came down on the rack. A guy who sold his soul to bring his brother back to life. I have seen these sob stories a million times. I have him a year before he cracked. The guy seemed pretty strong but I wasn't going to give him the benefit of the doubt. A year passed by of Alistair's preliminary torture sessions and I found myself losing the bet to another demon, a young one eager to please. I stayed away from the sessions, probably because I was jealous, but then I got some well deserved time off.

Thirty years passed on before the guy would break. I learned a lot about him from the shadows the last ten years. For one thing, Dean was stronger than any other human I encountered. The brother he sold his soul for must have been the only family he had left from the way he called for him. There were a few human souls like that who ended up on the rack, and each time I just felt something odd in my demon mind. The others in the lower order said would be the one demon in the world with a soul.

The year before he gave in, I fought every urge to tell Dean to not give up, to take him off the rack myself, at least let him take a demon form and go up onto the earth and possess someone. I would risk being killed myself for him. Dean gave me hope that not all humans are stupid and selfish, but can be selfless and loyal.

One by one more souls came down, and eventually Dean broke. I had seen souls break and it was never pretty. They all changed for the worse. With Dean it was different. He felt bad for every bit of torture he inflicted, and as time went on and we found pleasure in it, he would feel bad for that too. I never talked to him, in fact I tried to stay out of his sight knowing that for anyone to see a demon in their true form was bad enough. Those pictures you saw in the demonology books were lite in comparison. If he managed to survive this for the rest of his life, I didn't want him to remember me.

Maybe we demons had the human race all wrong. They were weak or stupid. They were flawed. I heard the stories of how Lucifer fell and I could understand, but I felt sympathy for the creatures that unintentionally caused us all in heaven and hell so much pain in our asses. We took it out on them without giving them their charges.

I wanted out.

The other demons could tell something was off about me. I think it started when I stopped cutting my first victim's junk at the start of my day. I quit taking bets and had a hard time focusing on the victims that Alistair assigned me. First thing is first, Alistair never assigns demons to the vics. Even the souls that I would have deemed had whatever coming to them suddenly had my sympathy.

Then one day there was a bright light. It was so bright that we were all blind for a days. When I could see hell had been turned upside down. The Higher Demons were frantic, crossroads stayed low, the lower order was business as usual but lacked new souls. Alistair was away. The other demons were taking sides, not sure about what though. When I finally got an answer I found out it was because an Angel had come to Hell.

Now do the math, no Angel had been in Hell since Lucifer. Everything we had known hit the flames. One soul was missing. Something didn't add up. If an Angel had come into hell, why didn't they take more? I think that is why we were freaking out. What made Dean so special to the Angels?

I had to get out. I knew a few ways to get out, but only demons like Azazel and Lilith were able to use it. Azazel was gone, so I followed Lilith carefully around Hell. I didn't like her much, but she was how I was going to sneak out of Hell and do what I have wanted to do since I heard Dean Winchester scream.

I wanted to become human. I didn't want to be a demon anymore. I wanted to be forge my own path.

_**Reviews are good for your health. BTW, this is just the prologue,**_


	2. Now What?

The first thing one does when they "escape" from hell, as a demon, is to search out a vessel. Technically you can get away with just being black smoke, but nothing looks more suspicious to a human, at least from what I have heard, is smoke without a fire. Those demons who had frequent flier miles to Earth had their preference of meatsuit; gender, size, and occupation. We are sexually ambiguous creatures, we just do what we want.

And I had no clue what I was doing. I didn't know if I was girl or boy person yet. I slowly creep up into some alley way in a city from a sewer. There were a lot of girls there, some looked pretty sketchy. A lot of them smoked and stepped closer to slow moving cars. I stayed low to the ground, blending well into the night. My only plan of action was to find Dean. He would know exactly what to do in the human world. I couldn't exactly go to a fellow demon. I wasn't even supposed to leave my place. They would turn me back to hell and then I would face some hard time.

Back to the gender thing, I decided to go with the best of both worlds. I nabbed what I presume was a boy dressed in women's clothing. Hey, cut me some slack, I was getting my feet wet.

Possessing a person is awkward. How often does one bombard into the mind of another being and say, "Hey, I'm going to borrow your body for a while."? The boy was pretty scared but he was surprisingly easy to quiet down.

I left the alley on my own accord and started walking down the street in my unplanned and unguided attempt to find Dean Winchester. It must have looked awful; the meatsuit had really tall things on his feet. I didn't know much about him aside from he had a brother named Sam. Wow, that wasn't much. At this point I realized I was beyond fucked. Maybe I jumped into leaving Hell with a little too much fervor and not enough of a plan. All I could do was take off the shoes and keep walking.

I came up to a brightly lit place with reflective metal adorning the sides. I figured that whether my meatsuit liked it or not it was going to eat at some point, because that was what human did. I felt something itch around my shoulder and when I pulled it out it appeared to be a wad of their currency. At least that took care of that problem. I walked in and took a seat, and that was when I saw him.

Dean Winchester was sitting a few spots ahead of me with whom I assume was his brother, Sam. They spoke quietly so it was hard to make out what they were doing and where they were going. The demons below said they were hunters and that they killed Azazel. No doubt they had to keep a low profile. The demon class above me said that hunters were the smarter ones of the human race. So I watched, ignoring everything around me, and listened as close I as I could. I picked up a few words here and there, mostly 'crappy motel' and 'dibs on shower'.

Okay, no we are getting somewhere. I watched them as they got up and left, driving away in a black car heading what I presumed was east. Time to start walking again.

/ / /

Sam and Dean pulled into the motel a few blocks away from the diner and began their nightly routine of unloading, laying down salt lines, showers, cleaning guns, researching, and checking in with Bobby. The last hunt was a simple salt-and-burn. Nothing that had them worried, at least for Dean. Sam was waiting for the fallout from him getting out of Hell, including this awkward Angel that had the worst timing. He tried to reason with Dean to try to tell him about it, clearly seeing something was wrong with him under the big-brother-I'm-awesome exterior.

They had all but settled into bed, ready to leave in the morning for Bobby's to figure out this angel problem, when they heard a knock on the door. Dean checked the clock. It read midnight. He looked at his younger brother who was still sitting at the computer, "You order something, Sammy?"

Sam shook his head, "No."

Slowly Dean picked up his pistol and held it by his side as he checked who the visitor was through the peephole in the door. He expected a cop, Ruby, maybe Jo or Ellen, but not in the world did he expect a drag queen. He looked back at his brother with a wry smirk, "Are you sure about that? I didn't know you swung that way." He opened up the door to reveal his surprise visitor.

Sam didn't know what to think when his brother opened the door.

"Hey," Dean greeted. "Do you need help with anything?"

The queen looked and acted like she was at a loss for words. "You're Dean Winchester, right?" she asked.

Sam chuckled, "Did you order something, Dean?"

"Shut up," he snapped. "Who wants to know?" he asked the queen.

"I think you are the guy who can help me out with this…thing I have," she replied.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sweetheart, but you are definitely not my type….maybe Sam's-"

"Well if he can help me out that's fine too."

Sam got the sense that she didn't really understand what Dean meant at all and that troubled him. "What exactly do you need help with, if I can ask?"

The queen didn't answer at first. She looked behind her, like she was making sure there was no one following her.

Dean saw that as suspicious. "You don't have cops on your tail, right?" he asked, showing the gun he had in his hand. "If you do, I will make you leave."

She shook her head, "No, no cops."

"Anyone following you?"

"Uh, I think we should talk about this inside. I don't wanna sound crazy."

"Look lady, if you are coming to us, you are." He opened the door further to allow her in, but she couldn't get past the doorway.

Dean just looked at her, "You can come in, we don't bite."

She looked frantic, "I can't. Something is blocking me."

_**It is a little short but it seems like a pretty good pace so far, at least to me. Leave an awesome review!**_


	3. No Way

I could not get through the door.

Seriously.

It was like an invisible wall or something.

What happened after that was what the humans called "a blur". Dean moved some white stuff off the floor and pulled me in, practically throwing me onto a chair where Sam bound me to it, rather quickly too. If I learned anything from the other demon stories back in hell this was definitely not a good sign. At this point I was going to let the humans do the work and play it cool. Just give them what they want to do what they say before anyone gets hurt. I could hear the boy in my head freak out but I just shoved him farther back and tried to ignore it. I sat quietly as Sam marked a circle with a bunch of scribbles on the floor under me.

The whole time Dean had a gun pointed at me, "So who tipped you off that we were here? Was it Ruby?"

Wait. What?

"I have honestly no clue what you are talking about."

"Christo," Sam said and I felt like I got punched in the stomach. He said it again and again, and I felt like utter shit, which is really saying something from a demon.

Dean kept the gun on me and tossed liquid on me. If I hadn't known better I would say that it burned the flesh off my meatsuit.

"Well that narrows it down to what you are. How about we find out why you are here. Sam."

Sam began speaking, rather unclear of to whom. It when he started speaking the shitty feeling I had before when he said Christo came back tenfold. I could feel myself being pulled out of the meatsuit and that was painful. I couldn't help but scream. "Stop! Please, just stop!" I was barely catching my breath.

"Aww, sweetheart, we aren't going to stop until you tell us why you are hear, and after that we are just going to send you back to wherever it is you came from." This wasn't the Dean I knew from Hell.

"If you let me talk I can tell you what you want, just please, stop," I felt like crying. If I knew more about possession I would say I felt something warm leak out of my eye. Geez, human meatsuits are weird.

The two brothers just turned away and from what I gathered they were figuring out what to do with me, and judging by facial expressions alone when Sam glanced back at me he had some sympathy for me. They turned back to me, Dean tossing a flask of that burning liquid hand to hand. "Alright, so here is how it is going to work: You tell us why you are here, who you are after, who you are working for, and we won't exorcise you. The endgame is that you leave RuPaul peacefully asleep so we can take her back to her drag race. Then you go back to hell."

I nodded in agreement, though in the back of my mind I knew I could swing out of the go-back-to-hell part.

"Who are you working for?" Sam asked.

"I used to work for Alistair."

"'Used to'?"

"I got out. At least you, Sam, should know about getting out of the authoritarian thumb."

Dean doused that cursed water on me and I screamed. Now I think I got him pissed.

"Look, I got tired of working for him. Shit hit the fan when you got out of Hell, Dean. The guys downstairs in charge have us all on a pretty tight leash only sending out the best. I used the hysteria to get out and strike out on my own."

"To do what?"

"Do my own thing, and it isn't what you think."

"Oh so you are not going to practice your methods, try to get a promotion?"

"That isn't how Hell works, and _you_ know that."

"What?" Sam asked.

"Hell is a caste system. I was created in the lower order and I was to stay there for eternity. I was over it and got out, to try something different with my life."

Dean stepped closer to me, "Okay then, why us?"

I shrugged, "Because I like you, Dean."

And then he punched me across the face. I didn't think what I said would be offensive. Human language is a far more complicated than I thought.

"Look, when you were on the rack, I wouldn't touch you. There was just something about you that proved you were different from the other millions of souls I had tortured. When you left, I had to find out if you were okay, that maybe you could help me."

"Help you? Why would we help you? You're a demon, we nail your asses to the wall before you can hurt anyone without a second thought. You know what, I should have just killed you when I realized that you couldn't even get through the door."

"Will you just listen to me?!"

Dean wouldn't even give me a response. He just looked at me with the same cold eyes he had when he was let down from the rack and started dishing out torture back in Hell. That look hurt me more than anything.

"Dean, can I talk to you outside?" Sam asked.

/ / /

They only closed the door enough to leave a visible crack where they both could see the demon and make sure she didn't leave.

"What?" Dean asked, with his trademark snarl.

"I think she's telling the truth."

"What?"

"Look, all the demons we have come across would have just killed us by now or at least put up a fight. Did you not see that she couldn't even get through the door?"

"So?"

"Dean, do the math. Most demons would have at least made a joke of the latin, most would have been smart enough to not come to our motel room with all our barriers and if they did they would have brought some kind of back up. This one seems pretty weak to me. I think-"

"Woah, what are you saying? This demon could be telling the truth?"

Sam shrugged.

Dean scoffed at the idea. "No, no, no. Demons lie, Sam. All of them. I think all that time with Ruby has really screwed with your head."

"Dean-"

"No, I'm calling Bobby on this one and we are going to grill her on her true motives."

/ / /

"You have a what?" Bobby singer thought he had heard it all as he talked to Dean over the phone, but this to him sounded like a demon wanting redemption. That you don't ever hear happening.

"Yeah I know," Dean said.

"Well I'll do some digging around. I'll find out if something like this is even possible and where to go from here."

"Thanks, Bobby."

"Seriously, first human it possesses is a regular Dreuxilla Divine?"

"Who?"

"Never mind. I'll call you when I got something. Until then, just try to cooperate and question it some more. I gotta feelin' this demon ain't powerful enough to do any real damage."

/ / /

The brothers came back into the room, Dean looking a little calmer than before. Okay, good sign.

Dean crouched down in front of me and got in face, twisting a silver knife close to my obviously fake chest. "You got lucky on the account of Sam being a bleeding heart for a demon." I could see that pissed Sam off, but he wouldn't say anything.

"Okay?"

"So why are you really here?"

After my last mistaken language incident I had to think about how I chose my words. The last thing I wanted was another punch in the face. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

I sighed, "I wanted out of Hell."

"Don't we all?"

"But I want to stay out and never be found. I want to be part of this world."

"Being a demon and a hunter is what I'd call playing with fire."

"Just to be in the human world. To coexist without any mission from downstairs is all I want."

Sam, I liked him, he was a little more empathetic. "You want freedom."

I nodded. I looked at Dean. "Before you came to Hell I was convinced by other demons that you humans were filthy, disgusting creatures, but then you ended up on the rack. You changed my mind. Seeing you get tortured and outlasting anyone opened my eyes, Dean. You are far from the one-dimensional souls that were cashed in at the end of their deals. When you got out of Hell, shit hit the flames, and I used that moment to get out and find you. You and your brother can help me get off the grid and teach me how to be human."

I proceeded to tell them how Hell functioned, the class and order system, their jobs, what I did, but I kept the art were Dean got pulled from the rack and started torturing souls. It seemed like he didn't remember anything about his time in Hell; it was either true that he didn't or he was faking it. I don't know. I don't know anyone who escaped from Hell like he did. They kept me at that chair for hours, taking turns asking me questions, offering small bites of food and water, specifically for my meatsuit. I told them what I knew about the human world, figuring if the situation turned my way I might be able to save them some time in my human education. I knew enough about the basics, eating, sleeping, sex, some acceptable behaviors, and about how to deal with their relatives (though I would rather not spill blood).

It was about dawn when Dean's magic brick, now known to me as a phone, rang. He picked it up and put it on speaker for Sam to hear as well.

"What do you have for us Bobby?"

"Your demon's story checks out. Put an honest demon as a first in the history book."

"Anyways?"

"Nothin' really. If anything was after her it would have been there by now dragging her back. If you want to we can classify her as Hell's refugee."

"So is this demon dangerous?" Dean asked with finality.

"Nope, she was in a lower class. They don't even have much power in Hell so above the earth's crust all she can really do is possess a person. No real damage except to the vessel from the outside."

There was a silence, an awkward one at that. "Are you sure there isn't anything else."

"You idjits think I would hold something from you in this situation? Hell no! Quit doubting me. If I say there isn't anything else there isn't anything else."

"Fine, sorry. So what do we do?"

"Let her go, teach her how to exist among us, but keep an eye on her. Probably wouldn't kill you to find the demon a better meatsuit, one that doesn't draw a whole lot of attention. I'll make a few calls to get her some fake identification as soon as you give her a name. Then take her some place where anything supernatural wouldn't think twice to find her."

Dean sighed, "Okay then. Talk to ya later, Bobby." And he hung up.

Sam looked at his brother. "What next?"

"You heard him, we got to find her a better vessel and give her a name."

I perked up, I got my freedom at last. "Really?!"

"Yeah. So right now let's just figure out the name part. What do you like?"

"I don't know. Demons are sexually ambiguous. I do anything I want really."

_**We will get an ID and a better vessel in the next chapter. This last one was a pain to write. I also apologize for the lateness but as warned, I update when I can. I just got a buttload of hours at work, a bandcamp I got contracted to teach low brass, Marching 110 pre-camp practices, and my fiance's aunt passed away. I got a lot on my plate. Be awesome, leave a review.**_


	4. New Suit

I had to trust a human. That was a big no-no being created in Hell. I had a choice to go completely on my own but as they had mentioned before, being a cross-dresser wasn't a good way to blend in and hide from demon radar if I had to be found, plus they had the skills and know-how to keep me hidden and give me an identity. They told me to go out and find a vessel with their guidelines to keep me straight and to come back to their motel room when I found the right match. Dean gave me his phone number just in case.

So here I was, having abandoned my drag queen vessel across town, waiting outside a decrepit apartment building watching people through their windows as a lingering black smoke from a vent. Dean had suggested I look for someone who wouldn't be missed, someone who wouldn't think my meatsuit was possessed. Hints of that would be broken or missing family-like possessions like pictures, destructive behaviors, maybe one who is looking to end it all. I had my eyes on a blonde girl sitting at a fold-up card table with a white bottle with Clorox printed on the side in her hands. She looked like some of the souls I had tortured long ago, the whole crying and begging for it all to end. Honestly I thought it was kind of ironic that she was a top candidate for being my meatsuit (The other was a guy who had a serious substance abuse problem. I had guys like him who sold their soul for a fix.) The girl wouldn't have anyone hunting her down to pay off debts so I could hang around in her a little longer than the fat dude next door. The choice was simple from there. I had to go with the girl.

I watched her drink what was in the bottle and then collapse on the floor, motionless and not breathing about an hour later. When her soul checked out, I checked in just before her memories left with her. Pushing her memories and just her soul back was easy, but there were a few things I kept from her psyche so I wouldn't be that much of a bumbling idiot, like hygiene, how to read, how to write, how to drive a car. Once I had a full grip on the meatsuit I just felt gross. When was the last time this chick took a shower? I cleaned up, pulled from her memories how to handle her freakishly long, damp hair and braided it, and went to what I presumed was her bedroom.

Getting onto women's clothing was a lot harder than I thought. This girl's top drawer had about fifty million lacy and non-lacey stretchy ropes with weird yet soft bowls attached. The other ones were just T-shaped strings.

Pants. Did I go with stretchy or with the sturdy blue fabric? Shirts…..okay, I had not clue. One with strings on the shoulders or that cool leather get-up?

I grabbed what I could fit in the canvas box with wheels including her wallet, put on some kind of clothes, and made my way out the door.

/ / /

Ruby got Sam's voicemail days ago. He was running out of blood and he needed his fix. They agreed to meet at the diner down the street where he was already going to get food while Dean stayed behind planning their next move with the new demon in tow. Sam ordered and waited outside for her.

When Ruby finally showed up Sam's paranoid mood lifted. "Where have you been?" he asked.

Ruby rolled her eyes, "I thought I had a lead on Lilith."

"And?"

"It was a bust. Just another meatsuit left by another demon out in Nevada. Tracking her is going to be a lot harder than we thought."

Sam didn't care about that right now. It was about the blood right now. Couldn't kill Lilith without a little steroid juice.

Ruby got his drift. She looked up at him feigning her caring, "You okay?"

Sam was already fiddling through his jacket pocket for his knife, "Yeah, I just need a little jump from you, and a little advice if you don't mind."

Ruby was fine about the blood, it was all part of her plan, but advice? Why would a human want advice from me, a demon? she though. "What are you talking about?"

Sam had to think about how he wanted to word his next few phrases. "Well we have a demon."

"And you already know how to take care of that even without my blood. What's the hold up?"

"It wants to be human."

/ / /

Dean heard three knocks on the door when he had finished making a devils trap lined on the floor. Sam only knocks once. Cautiously as he has for the last twenty-five years he looks through the peep hole before even thinking about opening the door. There was a blonde outside with luggage and an obvious mismatching sense of fashion.

He opened the door to her, she looked relieved to see him. "Christo," he said. The chick winced. "Alright, get inside," he ushered her into the trap and took a quick glance outside the door making sure no one and nothing followed her. "You stay inside that until we will move on in the morning."

"Where are we going?"

"You heard Bobby, we got to take you some place monster, demon, and angel proof. I only know one place for that, and the owner may just kill me for it but I think we can throw Sam's puppy eyes at him and be okay." His eyes scaled the demon's new vessel. Other than the fact she picked wearing orange tights with a red and black checkered shirt, it wasn't a bad pick. Young, blonde, short (even shorter if she stood next to Sam), but her frame looked like it took a beating. A little rehab would do wonders. "So what was your meatsuit's schpeel? I mean it looks like you picked her up off the side of the road?" he chuckled.

The demon nodded, "I found her drinking from a bottle of this thing called Clorox and she looked really upset. It looked like she didn't have anyone to help her. She died and I moved in as fast as I could."

"Sounds like a good choice. You have a name yet?"

The demon pulled out a wallet from her back pocket and held it out to Dean. Dean checked for any ID and got a Missouri driver's license for a Madeline Christine Kirby. "I like Christine. If I have to switch meatsuits I can just go by Chris if that is preferable?"

"It's your name, you're stuck with it."

They both heard one knock on the door. Sam. Dean let him in but his demeanor completely changed when he saw the dark haired girl follow behind him.

/ / /

I felt something off about the chick Sam brought home. I watched the situation unfold between the brothers and the brown-haired girl between them. There was a lot of yelling about how this girl they called Ruby was a lying and manipulative "bitch" and that she couldn't be trusted. Sam finally snapped, "Look Dean, we have a runaway demon on our hands, Ruby knows how to handle this."

"Hey, I'm right here," I said. "And I have a name now so you can stop calling _that demon_."

Ruby walked around the trap. She didn't say a word to me, just looked at me with a look of either amazement or disgust. "You're a lower order demon."

I nodded.

"How in the hell did you get out?" she snarled.

No one thought much of us in the lower order except as the workers who had no worth. I was just as ashamed about my position in hell as I used to take pride in my torture skills. "I followed you guys around for a while and snuck out."

"That is impossible, you're not powerful enough."

"I just waited until someone opened a door and once I got out I ran the opposite direction."

"Why?"

"I wanted out."

"To do what? You can't stay out forever, you know that. Sooner or later another one us will find you and drag you back to Hell and then you will get put on the rack, just where you belong." I forgot how much my order was looked down upon. I told you all that there was a real set system to hell.

Dean pulled Ruby back from me, "Enough." He looked at Sam, "Get her out of here and make sure she stays out." He looked back down at me in an expression that was a little similar to what he had in Hell. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

/ / /

Night passed over and it was awkward. Both brothers slept while I stayed awake sitting crosslegged in the trap watching television. Dean thought it would be the quickest way to learn about the human culture while they figured out what to do to keep me out of trouble for the next week or so. Here are my observations:

Zumba must be a form of exercise that makes women dance and it isn't as sexy as they think.

No one like Kim Kardashian.

Or her family.

Men have a penchant to riding two-wheeled devices over hills and pieces of wood and falling on their faces. It is supposed to be funny I guess.

Human babies are sooo cute!

I learned how to not dress in orange tights and a checkered shirts.

I finally figured out what the weird lacy things in the meatsuit's dresser was for.

It is cool to be from West Philadelphia.

By the time that show was over the sun began to peek through the window. I watched my first sunrise.

I couldn't wait until the next one.

Dean was up first already packing up their belongings and going through my luggage insisting that I couldn't wear what I was wearing anymore. He pulled out a few assorted things and I put them on, right there, in the middle of the room. That definitely got Dean's attention. "Wow."

"What?"

"You're not one for modesty, are you?"

"I guess not considering that I don't have much of a choice. I'm still in this trap afterall."

"Right." Dean brushed at the trap, breaking it for me to get out. "I'll wake up Sam and we will be heading out in fifteen.

_**Kinda of a crappy chapter. Sorry about that. I am just about to head to work and I wanted to get this uploaded while I had a chance.**_


	5. Realities

Chris had barely been on the road before she started asking the Winchester questions about them and how the human world functions for hunters and the supernatural.

The life the brother's lead wasn't ideal by the human standard and it wasn't like they could help it. Their mother was killed by a demon, all the more why they didn't trust her, and their father was bent on killing it for revenge. The brothers followed suit, but Sam was a little more…independent. The way Sam talked it seemed like demons had a connection to how anyone in their family died. Chris didn't have a response to that except for the occasional 'sorry'. Here she was in a boat of a car with two brothers that have hunted things like her all their lives with a vengeance so she minded her p's and q's so she wouldn't get killed.

As for how the human world functioned for them and the likes of her, it would be fairly easy for her to blend in to the oblivious non-believers. The boys glossed over a few tips about keeping some demon's out, staying under angel radar because now they were being a nuisance, and what items to avoid as they were like allergens to demons.

Chris made herself comfortable in the backseat for the last few hours while the sun began to set, taking in the scenery flashing by as if she will never see it again. Everything was beautiful to her. Her favorite things were the horses in the fields what a state Dean said was South Dakota. They were going to a friend's, some place safe for them, at least the human aspect. "What the demon aspect?" Chris asked.

Dean looked up at her through the rearview mirror, "Trust me, you don't want to know. Just follow our lead and we will figure out the rest."

Sam fell asleep through Nebraska. "Typical," Dean smirked. Chris liked this dynamic they had; they insulted each other without any emotional consequence. Awesome.

"I can see why you went to Hell for him. He's a good guy."

Dean nodded, "He's all I got. Of course I would die for him."

"Dean, can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Do you remember anything from Hell?"

Dean's jaw tightened. Of course he remembered. How could one forget about Hell? He wasn't going to let anyone be bothered with his problems though so he told everyone, lying to Sam, that he didn't remember a thing. He pushed the memories as far as he could hoping they would just go away. "Nope."

Chris was relieved about that, "Good. You really lucked out."

"How about I ask you a question?"

"Anything. I'm an open book."

"What was up with you and Ruby back there? I mean she looked pretty pissed and left before we could find out why but what was it about you that set her off like that? She never got that angry with me and I'm quite the joy to be around."

"It's a Hell caste thing. I'm a lower order and she was higher up. You could say we were just the working scum of the pit and they are elitists even though they have some heavy competition above them. They get off on keeping us down. Why do you care?"

"Because I hate that bitch and seeing her like that on top of what she has done to Sam has officially put her at the top of my shitlist."

"So you're saying you felt bad for me?"

"What? No! I-no."

Chris raised her brow.

"Okay, only a little, but you're still a demon so all my rules stand about the likes of you."

"Fair enough. And Dean?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

/ / /

Night had fallen when they pulled into a driveway with ruined cars on both sides. The place looked rundown with giant metal parts and a narrow dirt path in between. The brothers unloaded their stuff and handed Chris her few possessions. They guided her around circular patterns in the dirt, devil's traps, which were spread out along the property. When they got up to the front porch they had her stand off to the side because of another devil's trap painted on the ceiling of the porch. The knocked a few times waiting for the door to open and when it did there was a gruff old man on the inside with an aged trucker's hat. He sighed, "You know, when I say go someplace safe, it don't always mean my place."

"Nice to see you too, Bobby," Sam replied.

"Well you three get inside. And you," he directed at Chris, "get in the study, we have a lot to get started on."

Chris nodded and followed the boys around the house. Bobby had her sit in a chair on the other side of the desk, sitting across from him while he poured himself two shot glasses of his choice beverage. "You have a name yet to go with that outfit?"

She nodded, "Her old name was Madeline Christine Kirby, but I really liked the name Christine and figured I could just be called Chris for short and-"

"Okay, didn't need your whole life story, just need a jumping off point to get you an identity sorted out with the forged papers to match."

"I'm sorry. I'm just a bit excited to get started on this being human thing."

"Well ain't you in for a treat," he said sarcastically. "I'll just relay this and get a picture of you tomorrow, send it in to a guy I know and in about a week you'll be off to the big wide world."

"That's it?"

"You did most of the work. You got the suit."

"But there has to be more than that? You human's have occupation, you have relationships, you have friends. I'm starting off from less than scratch."

"And you're a demon and those boys are just two out of many. I can't control what other hunters are gonna do, you might not even make it a week before some other hunter takes you down without asking questions. So I'm not going to get you all settled up! I would just be a waste of time."

"Bobby?" Sam asked walking in from the kitchen, "What's going on?"

Chris shook her head and faked a smile, "Nothing, just some reality checks."

/ / /

Bobby told the boys what he was able to do and said it would be better to pick up in the morning when they were all rested. They all went to sleep while I stayed up wandering around Bobby's house. Oh yeah, demons don't really sleep.

Or eat.

Or drink.

I was careful to not touch anything fearing that it would go off or kill me. I peered into some of the books the old man had lying around in stacks and piles, opened, closed with tabs sticking out. They reminded me of the books we had in the lower order when we started our trades. Some of the artifacts in the house definitely looked like it belonged in Hell. Bobby must have been like their messenger, the guy they call when they need answers to their questions, kind of what Ruby was doing (I think).

I finally resolved to watching television until one of them woke up. Dear hades there was ONE CHANNEL! It was the same damn infomercial about some little giant ladder. My boredom came to screeching halt when I heard a noise from upstairs. It wasn't a scream if that makes anyone feel better. I slowly went up the steps and down the narrow hall. All the doors were open with the exception of Sam and Dean's. Sam's was up on my left first. His room was the source of the noise. I could see in the dark fairly well, a demon perk, and could see that he was hunched over the side of the bed. When humans did that in Hell it was because they were in pain or they were going crazy. I was trained to take it as a sign that I did my job well.

Well, I was a demon with a heart now. I walked in ready to convince him that it was okay and that he was safe, but he jumped out at me with a knife in his hand pointed at my throat. I held up my hands as I learned from television that it meant surrender and that you meant no harm to the dude with the weapon.

Sam looked startled and then annoyed that I was there. "What are you doing?" Just a little FYI, Sam is huge so he scared the living shit out of me.

"I don't sleep, Sam."

"That's not what I meant." He was holding something behind him that I could not see.

"Then what do you mean?"

"You tried to kill me."

I dropped my hands to my side, "Really?"

"You, just get away from me."

He lowered his knife and sat back down on the bed. I wasn't about to leave so easily. I got a whiff off him and I could tell exactly what he was hiding. I knew that scent clear as hellfire.

Demon blood. "Where did you get that?"

Sam looked up at me, still mad that I was standing there. "None of your business."

"Dude, you have demon blood."

"It doesn't matter, it's not yours. Get. Out."

_**I would have updated sooner but I got struck down with some weird flu for the last few days and it wasn't fun. I mean, how awful is it that you can get really sick in the summer, in the middle of a Midwest heatwave no less?! I had to get the demon-blood drama in there somehow. It just couldn't be set in a season four AU without it. Leave me some reviews. **_


	6. Potential

No sunrise today. Whatever light there was in the sky just barely cut through the gray skies and rain. I changed clothes and tried to stay out of Sam and Bobby's way. Sam seemed okay, but I wasn't going to get on his bad side after what happened the night before. Bobby obviously wasn't too keen on my presence. Those two stuck together in the study working on either finding a new case or helping other hunters with theirs. Dean wasn't in the house. I was bored and walking on eggshells for hours.

I was so happy to see him when he did appear in the kitchen to grab a beer from the fridge only to go back out the door again into the rain. I followed him out to a rundown shed filled to the brim with car parts and junk. Dean was under the Impala. "So what are you up to?" I asked.

Dean rolled out looking a little grimier than before, "What are _you_ up to?"

I shrugged, "In case you haven't noticed I don't have much of a fan following in there."

"Give 'em time to wrap their heads around the situation. Shit's been hitting the fan since I got out of Hell and, don't get me wrong, but you're the last thing we need to worry about."

"Yeah well when you got out of Hell shit hit the fan down there too."

"Really?"

"Dude, there hasn't been an angel in Hell since Lucifer and that angel only grabbed one soul. Suspicious much?"

"Fair enough."

"So what is Bobby's malfunction?"

Dean chuckled at thoughts, "You want it by order of freakiness or alphabetically? Nah, he's just an old hunter."

"What got him into it? I mean, you and your brother had your father and mother and Sam's girlfriend that sent you all into the life."

Dean got up and started checking the oil, "Years back his wife was possessed, he killed her, end of story."

That explained Bobby's less than chummy approach to me last night. I guess I will never understand these boys. After all my kind has done to them I would kill me too. They had a right to be skeptical towards me, to want to get rid of me, but why wouldn't they have just done it already? I could have left them, but like Bobby said, I would be dead sooner rather than later.

Dean slammed the hood shut and pulled his jacket on, "Don't let them get to you, we'll figure it out and you get to be human. C'mon." and we walked through the drizzle back to the house.

"You guys would know if me being up here would start something bad right?" I asked.

He shrugged, "We are approaching the apocalypse, aren't we?"

"You know what I mean. A little more activity from Hell coming topside, more demons trying their hand up here?"

"Possibly, it isn't something we can predict. We're just wingin' it and listening to some angels on campaign run. You better not have brought any friends with you."

"I wouldn't call them friends. Even in my caste we aren't on the best of terms with each other. I mean, I just worry if I me being up here might have upset some order or something and what should I do to fix it."

Dean stopped me from going any farther, "If you did, trust me, we would come for you, and you won't like it. Consider this a warning."

/ / /

"How soon until her papers come in?" Dean asked while shoving a forkful of rhubarb pie into his mouth.

"I made sure my guy express mailed them so by either tomorrow or early the next day," Bobby replied. "You got a location for her, Sam?"

"Does a Cheyenne sound solid?" At least he was nice to direct that question to me.

"You guys know this country better than me so I trust you." I had to give the guys credit where credit was due.

"You really shouldn't but okay."

Of course I shouldn't trust him, he was drinking demon blood. What human in the right mind would want that? Usually when we did that in Hell it would burn their insides out, but that night Sam looked like he had been doing it for a while. That scared the crap out of me. Sam was doing something powerful and dangerous, at least to my kind, and it seemed to me that Bobby and Dean were okay with it.

"What can you guys tell me about me?" I asked.

Bobby sighed and took a few more sips from whatever was in his glass, "Your name is you are from St. Louis. Your story is that you are a kid who grew out of the foster system and thus sadly justifies where you will be working so you stay out of our hair and blend in."

"Where will I work?"

"Show Girls."

Now I was confused. Whatever happened to McDonalds? "That is?"

"Bobby, you got a gig at a strip joint?" Dean didn't seem enthused.

The old guy shrugged, "You gotta better plan? She doesn't exactly have any skills other than torture. There are people out there who think it's kinky."

I looked up at him, "Dean, it's fine. I'm just starting out, remember?"

"If you're fine with it."

"Anyone else notice how we are way more fine with her than we are with Ruby?" Sam asked.

Alright, I get it, I heard the stories about what she has been doing topside, but why was Sam so hell bent on defending her when demons like me, her, and our bosses, sent them ruined their lives? Dean was warming up to me, I could tell, but he was still a hard-ass on principle and Bobby straight out admitted he wanted nothing to do with me. If demons were so bad to Sam why was he hanging around one? I'm just hangin' around until I can get on my human feet and then leave them to live among the like, to understand what I was taught to destroy and forge my own path. Ruby was up to something. I just knew it. Her kind always had a mission or a ulterior motive.

I guess you could say I sided with Dean and let our silence answer Sam's question.

Bobby continued to ramble on and on about some finer details about living, transportation, communications and the like. I understood some of it but I'm sure there were points in the conversation where they saw the look of confusion on my face and explained it in what they called Lehman's Terms. I knew that I had a place I could live in without much trouble considering I was starting out with nothing but the clothes the meatsuit had, I had a job to pay for such place, and I could get anywhere I needed to go on foot. Pretty simple. I liked simple. Simple was easy and simple was safe. I was excited to be completely free of the life I once led.

The vibe didn't last long.

/ / /

Chris stood up and slowly backed into a corner on the far side of the kitchen. The brothers and Bobby didn't move but could tell something was off. Chris looked afraid. "What is it?" Bobby asked.

"Something is here," she replied.

"Something from Hell?"

"I don't know."

They all heard the subtle flutter of wings. Out of nowhere and right behind her stood an angel, the first one Chris had ever seen. The last time she was near one no one in Hell could see its form; it came across the whole pit illuminating every corner and crevice with a blinding light. Now she was terrified of an angel in a trenchcoat. Dean was mildly annoyed at this angel's presence, "I didn't call for you, Cas."

"I didn't need for you to call me after the," the angel glanced over at the demon in the corner, "last chain of events to come to your aid."

"Don't need your help here."

"We need to talk, Dean, privately, or at least not in its presence."

They both left the room to the porch, "What is it now?" Dean started. "Need donations to the Apocolypse-Now fundraiser?"

"This isn't funny, Dean."

"Of course not. You show up and bring bad news every time so start with a joke, it helps make whatever you're about to say a little less of a bummer."

"We need to talk about the demon you keep in your company."

"I don't keep her in company."

"Heaven says otherwise."

"If you're going to use Ruby against me you have it all wrong."

"It is about that other one."

"She's harmless."  
"But a demon nonetheless."

"She isn't doing anything and she will be out of our hair in the next day or so."

"Do you not understand what her presence would do in the scheme of things? She is defied their order much like Lucifer did in Heaven and there were grave consequences for that. There can and will be consequences for her escaping the pit. No one knows her true motives, but like other demons she can't be trusted. They will manipulate you and your brother for their favor and those consequences would be linked to you and then I can't help you."

"Her motive is a lot like ours, Cas. She had a destiny and she didn't like it, so she got out. I think that's a quality to admire."

"The same could be said about the one your brother stays close to, the one that he claims saved his life."

"And we both know that is bullshit, and that is something you talk to Sam about. If I had my way, that bitch would have been dead long before I went to Hell."

"I am warning you, Dean. This is not something where you keep your enemies close. Do what you have to and never speak to her again. If anything, send her back to Hell." Then Cas vanished.

/ / /

The following afternoon Chris's papers had come in and immediately she and the brothers left Singer Salvage with a quick goodbye and an unexpected thanks from Chris to Bobby. The three of them had been driving for roughly six hours with two more to go before they reached Cheyenne. They had been bouncing off Chris's new character traits in case anyone asked questions ranging from her favorite movie (Erin Brockovich) to sexual preferences (dominance on top). Her favorite band however would be up for debate; she wasn't a fan of Dean's tapes after a few rides. Chris noted the basic four chord structure and it got old very fast.

It was nightfall by the time they reached the club she would start at that night.

/ / /

The goodbyes were short and sweet with a curt thank you from to them. The Impala was gone by the time I pulled my suitcase through the door of the strip joint's front doors and walked through the fairly empty main room of the dark place. It was a Monday.

I went to the bar asking to meet the manager, the guy or gal or whatever, that Bobby told me to check in with. The bartender was quick enough to pull out what I assumed was the head lady. I had seen her type on the rack. The kind that wore cheap make-up, teased their high too high, a cigarette hanging out of her mouth; they sold their souls for youth, money, and/or men. I knew a demon whom got off on peeling the skin off their faces every other day in Hell. I kept my talking to a minimum and, as Dean and Sam put it, let my body language do the work. The lady escorted me past a stage and into another room with big mirrors and a few other half naked girls with a similar look only younger. The lady pulled me around a corner to another woman who was getting dressed, a red head, "Hey Orphan, got a new girl. I need you to show her the ropes and get her to your place. Apparently she is your neighbor."

The red head scoffed, "Get Erin to do it."

The lady whipped her cigarette out of her mouth, "It's a favor from Singer, the guy who debugged our place for free when you were starting out. If it weren't for him you would still be seeing a steady stream of roaches from your wall. Just do it."

"Fine, but I better get overtime."

"Yeah, yeah." And the lady left.

The red head pulled her coat on and grabbed her keys, "You, follow me." I grabbed my suitcase and followed her out to her little Volkswagon bug. As I loaded it into her backseat she said, "Grew out of the system, huh?"

Oh yeah, had to play up my backstory, "Yeah."

She nodded, "Me too. Don't worry kid, you're not alone. You're better off than most. Sad ain't it?"

I shrugged, "Just living the dream." And that wasn't a lie for me.

The red head held out her hand, "Well I'm Annie." I shook her hand back seeing that was a human custom. "They call me Orphan like Little Orphan Annie, blame the hair."

"The lady, she said we were going to be neighbors, that true?"

"Yeah, just a month-by-month place, but if you ignore the couple cops who come back twice a week, it ain't half bad. And don't let old bitchy pants Linda bother you. She runs the place and believe me, being a woman running that kind of business competing against the old farts across town would make any one act like they're on the rag. Most of the time she is a sweet lady, very picky about her girls and the guys who make sure we don't end up in trouble. You treat her right and she will treat you better."

Annie liked to talk. She went on telling me when she would take me into the club to teach me a few moves and to learn the politics of the business and I just listened. The drive was short and my apartment that Bobby hooked me up with was on the first floor. Annie was right next door. She was nice enough to help me unpack my one suitcase and brought some food over. Demon's don't really eat while in the meatsuit. I knew Ruby had a penchant for French fries but I was never hungry. Annie's cornbread muffins was worth force feeding.

As soon as she left (at two in the morning) I was quick to make the signs Dean and Sam showed me around my door and under the complex-provided rugs and carefully lined the windows with salt with gloves on. After that it was a matter of waiting for Annie to pick me up for my first day on the job. Per the usual, I watched some more TV. I watched another sunrise and then it hit me.

I was officially part of the human world. No lies, no motive, just living.

Bring on the world.

_**Not the best chapter, but I have sketched out the rest of the story. I got two weeks left until my final Marching 110 training week and then school starts. Woot woot, my last year of school ever (unless God forbid I decide to do grad school). Be awesome, leave a review. Let me know what you think of Chris. Her development will get better as I throw in some actual conflict, I promise. If there are errors, I take the blame. I'm writing this typically exhausted from work and/or with a bottle of wine next to me.**_


	7. Breaking

Eight Months Later

Whoever decided that humans needed to wear clothes is a genius. Being a stripper I should know. Half the things I wore were not meant to be functional or comfortable, but seeing on top of my wages I earned a few hundred a week I guess I shouldn't complain that much. It was worth having a few burns between my thighs from the pole for a few extra bucks to spend on actual dates with men who didn't pay me to dance or go out on a girls night with Annie and her friends. After a month or so Annie had me move in with her to not only split the costs but one could say our relationship was getting pretty serious (wink wink). As much as I enjoyed male company from work and nice boys on dates Annie was just different. I always got good vibes from her like I did with Dean. We both wanted the same things, to get out on our own and live how we want. She told me stories and I made up my own about the foster system, but she was more irate about it. Annie was tired of being told what to do and being stuck in a position where she had no way out.

Been there, done that.

So here I was at ten at night, finishing up an early shift with an extra eighty-five dollars to my name in cash, getting back into comfy jeans, a hoodie (courtesy of Annie), slipping on my toms and readying my bag to go back to our home. The winter was slowly but surely turning into spring so walking home at night wasn't as treacherous as it was when I first started out. The first time I did that while Annie was on what we called a civilized date and I walked home through a blizzard, hair-cycles and all. The sky was nice and clear and I was in a fairly decent mood, probably because I knew we had a bottle of wine in the fridge and a few crappy movies to watch waiting for me.

Before I knew it I was home and that was when things started to go sour. Annie and I had a habit of always locking out doors no matter who was home or if anyone was home. The fact that I got there and didn't have to turn my key set off a few hundred red flags. I eased my way into our place carefully maneuvering around the rug hiding a trap to our moderately lit place. Nothing looked disturbed. There was no note or a sign scribbled on the dry-erase board on our fridge. I could hear the television, her favorite show, The Walking Dead, was on. I looked around and saw her sitting on the couch, but she was really still. Usually she hollered for me to come in and watch with her, but she did nothing. I rushed around to see what was wrong and what I saw freaked me out to the same degree some things in Hell did. She was sitting facing forward with a glazed over look in her eyes. I checked for a pulse and for her breath and got both steady and strong, but why on earth was she like this? "Annie?!" I shook her shoulders trying to get her to snap out of it. "Annie!" I looked around and didn't see any drugs laying around. The wine bottle wasn't even open. Something or someone broke it.

I grabbed my phone ready to dial 911, but felt burning hand yank it from my hands. I turned around and saw Castiel along with another angel. "What did you do?" I asked.

"She will be fine in a few hours, in fact, she won't remember anything," he replied.

"Oh, awesome. Next question, why?"

He stepped aside, "This is Uriel, a specialist, and we need your assistance."

"If you have a specialist you should be fine."

"He is an angel."

Insert comical brakes here. "Okay, I have two angels asking a demon for help. You guys are swimming in dangerous waters so you must be very desperate." I sat down knowing that this was going to be serious, but I learned from television that those who had similar situations thrown at them always sat down. It usually meant that they were all about business and weren't going to take shit from anyone. "You need intel about the goings-on downstairs because let me tell you, I left them long ago and I wasn't anywhere close to the head honchos to know what their next moves are."

The other angel, Uriel, stepped up. "We have your master and we figured we could use you to get what we need first. Poetic isn't it?"

"You have Alistair?" No. That couldn't be true. My old boss was a tough guy, he couldn't have been weak enough to have been caught by two angels. "You better have some proof."

Cas spoke up, "If you come with us we can show you."

"There's a catch, isn't there?"

"You would have to comply with our orders to get the information we need from him hence the comment about it being poetic."

"Depends on what you need to know. Alistair was my boss, taught me everything I know about torturing a soul, and we all know he won't break easily or even at all."

"For a lower order demon you are quite defiant," Uriel snarked. "This is a serious situation. Our brothers and sisters, other angels, are being killed as we speak. We must know who is doing it."

"You also mentioned I'm a demon so why should I care?"

"Because we have ultimatums."

"You have my attention."

"You help us and get the information we need we can fulfill your wish of being human entirely," Cas responded.

I laughed, "You can't do that. Once a demon, always demon. Plus I don't think your boss would be too thrilled about helping the children of his fallen son."

"But he can forgive and reward the righteous."

It sounded very tempting. To be completely human, to enjoy food and learn about sleep, to have humanity would be like icing on the cake of all my wishes and desires. "What if I don't get what you need to decide to follow through."

Cas sighed, "We would have to bring in the man who broke the first seal."

That was when my metaphorical stomach dropped, "Dean?"

Cas nodded.

No, no, no. Dean couldn't have. Even if he did, he didn't know what he was doing. Dean would find out and this would break him in worse ways than I could imagine, mind you I have an impressive imagination. I couldn't, wouldn't, let that happen. "I'll do it. So long as you don't lay a hand on Dean and you put Annie back to normal, got that?"

Cas nodded again and pressed two fingers to my head.

In the blink of an eye I was in some dark warehouse-esque place and I was facing an iron door. I already in a bad place when I looked in and saw a creepy old guy chained up to a star of david with an enochian devil's trap under him. I pointed through the window, "Is that him?"

"Yes. Now we understand that our provisions will make it difficult for you to do your work but we have meticulously created tools for this endeavor."

"I was gonna say."

Uriel then stepped ahead of me and opened the door. "We will be waiting, but don't waste our time."

I stepped in and the door closed behind me. As soon as I heard the door lock Alistair already began to chuckle. It was odd seeing him this way, chained up, powerless and weak when I was used to him running the pits with strength and calculated brutality. "Well, look at you."

I picked up a long rod and dipped it in a bucket that the angels were so nice enough to label as holy water. "Been a long time, boss. Time obviously hasn't been good to you." At this point I slipped back into my old ways. I had to. I didn't want to but if it meant Dean didn't have to I did what I had to do.

I pointed the rod at him, "Figured on a demon of your superiority would have picked a better meatsuit, you know, something with an actual suit."

"Well don't you have a mouth."

"Learned from the best."

"That Dean Winchester, eh?"

"Nope, think a little farther back." I rammed the rod into his side. I got him to yell in pain. "Does that job your memory?"

When he finished yelping in pain and lowered down to wheeze he looked up at me, "Only my apprentice would know that move, and I know only my best would use it first to get the show started."

"Isn't that just poetic," I said as I screwed the rod. He yelled in pain again. "Now you know this is only the beginning of the best torture sequence you only taught a few, things you wouldn't even demonstrate on yourself, so I'm going to ask you a few questions and you're going to answer. If I don't get what I want I will do those things. Now tell me," I pulled the rod out and tossed it aside exchanging it for a silver spear, "Who is killing the angels?" I brushed the blade under his chin.

He would not respond.

I was in for a long, bloody session.

/ / /

Two hours later and pulling out all the stops repeatedly wasn't getting me anywhere. I felt defeated for sure. I was hoping against hope that I would still be able to cash in on the prospect of being human with the angel. I knocked on the window on the door and the angels let me out. "He doesn't know," I said.

"Are you sure?" Uriel asked.

"Look I don't pull out all the stops for nothing. I can do things you angels wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole. Now how about that deal?"

Uriel was abrupt, "You didn't get what we need."

"The bastard doesn't know!" Now I was getting frantic. I wanted to be human. I wanted forgiveness!

"A deal is a deal. We need answers, not a dead ends."

"No, you don't bring him here." I looked over at Cas who was walking towards me, " Cas, don't!"

But it was too late. I was outside in the middle of nowhere. "Fuck!"

I had to get back. I had to make sure Dean wouldn't do anything and that he would never find out he broke the first seal. I was already pissed an upset about losing my chances at being a full-fledged human, but there had to be a silver lining or something like that.

I was at least lucky enough to not be too far from my place. I walked in through the door, thankfully still unlocked. Annie was in the kitchen grabbing glasses for the wine, I was sure of it. "I think our fridge is fucked up. The wine isn't even cool and I left it in there this morning," she said. Whatever Cas did it worked on Annie. I rushed past her to our book stack in the far corner of the living room. "Chris?" she asked, following me. I didn't answer. I was busy trying to find the township map and a phonebook. "Is that blood?"

I flipped through the phone book and narrowed down the search to the map. The map was old but the phonebook was fairly new so I was able to narrow it down to one closed up place across town, easy peasy. Annie was still asking questions," Are you hurt? What happened? Tell me!"

"I can't!"

"What did you do?"

"I need to borrow your car."

"If you did something you are not going to bring me down with you."

"It isn't like that!"

"Then tell me."

Alright, get ready for a nice big lie. "I'm a demon, Annie. I had to get right with both angels but hurting a demon. That demon is alive and will be killed by a man that doesn't need his life ruined again. If you care about me, you will let me go to fix this." She didn't say a word but I could tell she was hurt either by me admitting I was a demon or she believing I was crazy. I wrote down the address and flew to the door. "Listen, forget about the car. I will call you when I have this figured out and I can explain everything. Tell Linda I had an emergency and I'm out of town for a while. Just keep quiet, lock the doors, in fact get extra locks. Don't let anyone in." I closed the door knowing that more than likely I could never go back.

/ / /

It took me longer than I thought to get back to the warehouse. Even longer to try to break in before giving up and looking in every window I could find. I crawled up the walls to the roof, hoping and looking for some kind of sky light. There were a few dozen up there but only one of was lit. I peered in only to confirm my worst fear; Alistair with Dean by his neck. The horror unfolded from there somewhat like Hell-on-lite. Everything from there went from bad to nasty when Sam showed up. The demon blood addiction made sense. I don't know anything strong enough to do what Sam did, but it was scary.

He killed Alistair.

I broke that glass skylight like it was a candy cane and jumped down from there into the broken trap. I let Sam finish the job; he seemed to be in the moment and the last thing I needed was for him to kill me. Where were the angels? Were they that cowardice to abandon the cause? Pulled Dean off the floor making sure he wasn't dead. He was alive, but whatever Alistair left him barely holding on. We had to get him out of here if he was going to make it. My body was tiny and there was no way I could get him out of this place myself, especially if we didn't want the cops to find this mess. "Sam!"

_**Any and all errors are mine. I'm writing this while on an "American Horror Story" bender. How does this get on television?! This is some messed up stuff! Leave a review! I love me some reviews. I'm going to try to wrap this up between work-outs, practice, and work before school, training week, and when the Marching 110 eats my soul for one last season. Hopefully this will be done before September!**_


	8. Consequences

It sounds cliché but the expression that humans have when something traumatic happens to them, that their world slows down around them, isn't much of an expression. By the time I got Sam to leave Alistair alone to die, had him help me get Dean away from the mess, called paramedics, and watched Dean go away in an ambulance it had felt like hours when it was only thirty minutes. Sam went with him leaving me behind in the dark. I had an idea of where they went and started walking. By the time I reached the hospital it was dawn, three hours later.

I walked into the emergency room and saw Sam waiting, head buried in his hands. "Hey Sam?"

He looked up me, "Chris?"

"Yeah," I sat down in the chair next to him. "Didn't really have a moment to say hey back there huh?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, not so much."

"Any word on how Dean is doing?"

He sighed, "Stable and they're confident about a fast recovery."

I nodded, "Well that's good."

"What were you doing there, at the warehouse to begin with?"

I shrugged, "Your angel pals had me work on Alistair first and when I couldn't get what they wanted they dropped me off saying they were going to bring Dean in. I didn't want that to happen."

"Fair enough."

"You're rather accepting of the situation. What's going on with you?"

"I'm just more pissed at the angels at this point. I'm also more worried about what happened to Dean in there. What do you know?"

"More than I should or want. If you don't mind I would prefer to keep that between Cas, Dean, and myself just like you want to keep your demon blood a secret."

"Blackmail much?" he scoffed.

I got up, "It is what it is. I'll be back later to check in. Do you need anything?"

He shook his head.

"Alright." And back to my place I went.

/ / /

It took me two buses but I arrived at my place around the time Annie would be awake making herself coffee. I unlocked the door and braced myself for whatever blow my best friend would throw at me. Instead I was greeted with a couple boxes stacked against the wall. Annie was coming around the corner with another when she saw me at the door. She was pissed and hurt. Do I blame her, no.

"Annie, I know you're mad at me."

She dropped the box on the floor, "Mad doesn't even cover it." She walked away into the kitchen and poured what looked like her third drink of whiskey.

"I didn't want to hurt you, you know that."

"I don't know what is worse, Chris. Is it the fact that you're a demon and I have been sleeping with a human shell or the fact that you lied to me?"

"If it makes you feel better, there was no human soul in this meatsuit."

"Oh so I have been sleeping with a dead woman?!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"I should've put it all together after the first week I met you! The lack of eating, you running around at night, the way you don't even flinch at getting your shoulder reset when you get hurt on stage, I didn't put it all together and look what happened! You come home with blood and you expect me to take your brief confession with grace?" She took a swig. "I thought we had something, Chris! I know you don't mind playing around with both genders and I was okay with it because I liked our relationship the way it was, and that was because we were honest with each other. Looks like I was played for a fool."

I had enough of her argument. "Did you really think if I was completely honest with you about what I was you would still hang around me? Be honest with yourself. I got myself out of Hell because like you and the two boys I met when I first came up here I wanted something for myself, not what some system had in store for me. I wanted what you wanted! I wanted to go across the country living off jobs from place to place with no strings attached, total freedom. You weren't going to get that unless you had me move in with you and that was after we met that fateful night."

"I don't want to hear anymore from you, Chris, or whoever you are. You have lied to me and your lies destroyed everything and everyone. You're just lucky I haven't called the police on your ass or have Linda drop you."

"What do you want, Annie?" Now I was getting desperate. I didn't want to lose my friend, my only friend.

"I want you out of here by the end of the day. I don't care where you go, but the next time I see you don't be upset when I don't speak to you."

"Fine."

She had four boxes and my suitcase already packed for me at the door. I moved them out one by one and threw the boxes in the dumpster. When I returned for my suitcase I could hear her crying. Hearing her nearly broke me. I picked my things only briefly turning around to say one last time, "I'm sorry. Goodbye."

/ / /

Took the same two buses back to the hospital with my suitcase and three hundred dollars to my name. I swung by work before that to pick up my check and tell Linda that I was gone. She was at least nice enough to give me a check and a hug wishing me luck. Here I was now pulled my suitcase down the ICU hall just stopping as I see Sam, the big guy that he is, pulling Cas out of Dean's room demanding that he heal his brother. The angel wouldn't do it. Sam wasn't happy. I waited until they were done with whatever altercation they had between them. Castiel flew away, "Fucking coward."

On the other hand, angels had a million reasons for why they wouldn't heal their precious soon-to-be vessels. Was Dean so damaged that they wanted nothing to do with him anymore? I was already pissed at them for not giving me what I wanted and then breaking Dean down themselves by I'm sure telling him that he broke the first seal, but now they wouldn't even give him the benefit of going against his moral code for their need. We both couldn't figure out who was killing the angels and we got nothing but heartbreak.

I slowly walked into the room pulling my suitcase behind me, and if I had a real human heart beating inside me I wouldn't be surprised if it broke right then and there at the sight of Dean so still with a tube down his throat.

Sam looked up at me as I rolled my suitcase to my side, "That was pretty quick."

I shrugged as I pulled up another chair next to him, "I would have been quicker."

He nodded, "So what is up with the suitcase?"

I sighed, "My…roommate found out who I was and kicked me out. And I just quit my job."

"Why?"

"Well I think humans don't take too lightly about living with a demon and working alongside them."

"How did your roommate find out? I'm pretty sure we had failsafe's on you."

I sighed, "Doesn't help when I come home from work, find some angels in my place manipulating me into doing their dirty work, and when I couldn't cash in they zap me out of the place forcing me to go home with some blood on my hands and a million questions to answer for that. The truth kind of slipped out."

"'Sorry about that."

"Sam, it's my fault we are here right now. I couldn't deliver so they brought Dean in. They came to me because I was the demon who got out and even then I was stupid enough to say yes."

A silence fell between us for a few moments as we waited for Dean to come back to us. "Do they have a target time for him to come out of it?" I asked.

"They said by the early evening he should be fine to take the tube out, until then this is just to jumpstart the healing by giving his body a break."

"And Cas?"

"I don't want that son of a bitch near us at the moment."

/ / /

The passing hours were slow, but knowing Dean was going to be alright made the time bearable. I helped Sam make a few calls about what to do with Dean after he would release himself, already set up a place for them to stay on the edge of town until Dean was up for more traveling to Bobby's; also it was more for me so I had a place to stay. Guilt ridden doesn't even cover how I felt at the moment. At some point I was going to have to ask for Dean's forgiveness but for now I settled with keeping an eye on Sam. He was always texting someone or leaving voicemails and I caught him once standing outside talking about Lilith. I eyed him letting him know I knew exactly what his scheme was and he tried to ignore me. I knew about the blood and I also knew that if Dean found out it wasn't going to be pretty. I watched "The Cleaner", I know. I warned him about Ruby when I came back with food, that she was like the other demons. Her kind always had missions and were calculated about them. Sam didn't want to believe that saying to me that she saved his life. "For what?" I asked.

I was out checking in to the room when I got a text from Sam saying that they took the tube out. Doctors said he would be out by the end of the week, so in Sam and Dean's timeline that meant in the next day or so. I went back as soon as I dropped my stuff on the bed and returned only to see Sam kicking Castiel out. Dean was awake, but he looked terrible. I didn't say much knowing Cas probably broke the news to him. I had to let him process it all. How does someone take the news that hey-you-kick-started-the-apocolypse?

/ / /

Time blurs when one is in a medicated state. Dean had no clue how much time had passed between the warehouse, waking up to a tube being pulled out of his throat, Cas' visit, and now. He slowly opened his eyes only to find Sam in the corner asleep in a chair and a semi-familiar face sitting on the window sill with a newspaper and a pen in hand. Obviously female but too blonde to be Lisa but he also hasn't spoken to Jo either in months. "Who are you?" he croaked.

The female looked up from the paper and smiled, "Welcome back from zombieland."

He voice sounded familiar, "Chris?"

"Yeah, and don't strain yourself. I know you want to get out of here in the next day or so."

"What are you doing here?"

"Why wouldn't I be here?" Chris sighed, "You don't remember the warehouse do you?"

Dean sighed only to regret it a second later when the pain flashed across his chest and up his throat, "Bits and pieces, like Alistair and getting my ass kicked."

The smile went away from Chris's face, "I'm sorry Dean."

"What happened, Chris?"

"I tried to get to you as soon as I could, I tried to keep them from getting to you, I really did."

"What are you talking about?"

Chris sighed, "They came to me first, the angels. They said if I could get Alistair to talk they would do something for me and not bring you into this mess. I knew they were going to break the news to you and after what I saw you go through in Hell I didn't want any of that coming back to haunt you."

"It doesn't matter," He croaked. "I remember everything. I remember everything I did and to be honest I would do anything to forget it all or to go back and make sure I was strong enough to say no. None of this would have happened if I was strong enough."

"Dean you outlasted more souls than you think. You ARE the strongest soul I have ever met." Chris caught sight of a tear coming down from his eyes. "But we all have our weaknesses, even demons, hell the angels came to me for help first because they were too weak to handle this shit themselves."

Dean's demeanor changed only ever so slightly by Chris's words. Yeah, the angels are pretty weak for some powerful vulcans with wings. "What did they offer you, Chris?"

She scoffed, "It doesn't matter, I didn't get it."

"It matters. Now more than ever, every little thing matters if we are going to keep anymore seals from breaking."

She couldn't bear to look at him to tell him the truth. Chris has been struggling with hiding the truth lately and it was beginning to show lately. "They told me that if I got what they wanted their boss would forgive me for my sins and…make me totally human."

Dean didn't say a word for a moment. "You didn't get what they wanted, huh."

"If I did you wouldn't be here right now. They knew my connection to you and, to put it gently, used me."

"Aren't we all being used?"

Chris felt every ounce of weight in his words. If only he knew about Sam, she thought, but now wasn't a good time, not while he was healing.

_**Woah, popped this puppy out in two days! Any and all errors are mine. Leave me a review! I really want to know what you guys think. From here on out we are going a bit more AU especially with Chris's consequences to her human existence. I'm going to drop it so hard that we will have some feels hangovers lol.**_


	9. Really?

I left Dean and Sam considering that I was not needed there and Sam would have everything under control. After that Iost track of them. It was like they went off the radar or something, I even bumped into Ruby on my way to the next town and she said she hadn't seen them in weeks with her added disgusted tone to me. What was up with that?

I had moved on to a place in the middle of nowhere again and found basically a one room apartment. Not much but considering I wasn't trying to form any attachments it was just fine. I didn't need much as a demon. All I needed was money and finding work wasn't as hard as I thought. Strippers and dancers were high in demand on the west side of South Dakota. I was hired on the spot. When it came to paperwork and waivers I filled in my fake name, fake social security number, and Bobby Singer as my emergency contact. I doubted I would ever need it so what was the harm in putting his name on that piece of paper.

Anyways, it was business as usual. No one bothered me, my signs were up around my place, and it was safe. I had an appreciation for anonymity in the human race. Stoop girl don't leave her stoop, except to work at night. I, Chris, became an introvert. From what I gathered on the internet I felt better knowing it was normal these days. After hurting Annie the last thing I wanted to do was hurt another person.

Oh did I mention that I became a headliner at the club. My signature song was "Cool The Engines". I don't even like Boston, but the girls said with the routine I made up it would be perfect. I am more of an Alanis Morissette fan, but the last thing the clients would want to see and hear is a pole dance to "You Oughtta Know". It was just another Thursday night and I was in the middle of my routine. It required a lot of upside down moves on the pole and a 'dangerous' drop that left only an inch between my head and the stage floor. I had crawled my way up to basically the ceiling and slowly arch back while pulling the string that held my top together. That move got a lot of attention and a lot of singles thrown on stage. I waited two seconds before loosening my grip and dropping.

Then the world around me went black.

/ / /

The clock had chimed once that evening. Bobby was still awake waiting on Rufus to call him back on the progress of his Black Dog hunt. If he fell asleep he wouldn't hear the ring. At one thirteen in the morning one of his phones rang.

He looked at the caller ID and read an unrecognizable number. Wearily he flipped the phone open, "Hello."

"Is this Bobby Singer?" The voice belonged to an older woman.

"Depends on who is asking."

"Mister Singer, this is a call from Rapid City County General, you are listed as an emergency contact for Christine Kirby."

It took him a moment to remember who the lady was talking about and when he did he knew he something seriously messed up had to happen. Demons don't get hurt or end up in hospitals. "Yeah, what happened to her?"

"Sir she was injured in a work-related stunt and suffered some head trauma and a few other minor injuries. She is currently unconscious-"

"And you need someone to basically fill in a bunch of paperwork."

"You sound like a pro," the woman on the other end feigned amazement. "Now her employer failed to report your relationship with Miss Kirby. Are you her father?"

"No, she was a foster kid. I was the last family she stayed with," he lied. "I didn't even think we were that close."

/ / /

A drive from Sioux Falls to Rapid City takes normal people five hours. Bobby Singer would make it there in four. In those four hours he managed to get a hold of Sam and Dean and told them what he knew about Chris. The brothers were booking their way from Bismark. Why were they caring about a demon? For Dean and Sam it was a matter of repaying her for at least trying to keep Dean from torturing Alistair. As a whole, the fact there was a demon suffering from human injuries was bad. There were too many contradictions in that sentence. The three of them conspired over the phone on how to break Chris out. When she came to there was going to be a lot of questions and not all of them were going to be answered easily even for lies. Insurance was going to be a huge problem. They needed to get her out without anyone noticing.

When Bobby arrived first he scoped out the Emergency Room entrance. It was a chaotic night with an apartment complex fire bringing in countless people in need. Perfect, it was going to be easy to sneak her out in the mess of people coming in and going out. He sat in the parking lot waiting for the Impala to pull up beside them and when it did the three of them went into stealth mode. The plan was for Bobby to wait with his vehicle ready since his was so indistinguishable that no security camera out there could pinpoint who it belonged to unlike the Impala. Sam would keep the receptionist busy and Dean was to find Chris and get her out of there.

If they were lucky the hospital staff hadn't moved her to make room for the incoming fire victims, but when did the Winchesters ever have luck on their side? Tonight had to be the exception. Off in a quiet far corner laid a woman, blonde with a scrubs and stripper heels. The closer Dean got the more he could see it was Chris. Carefully he pulled IV lines and turned off the heart monitor without setting it off. She was still knocked out as he carried her out of the little cubicle and into a wheelchair as well as discreetly placing sunglasses over her eyes. Dean wheeled her out almost casually. The place was booming.

From there it was loading her up in Bobby's car and following him out to a motel a few towns over. He made a mental note to go straight home to dig up any lore or explanation for what could turn a demon into a human.

/ / /

I woke up in a unfamiliar room, but whatever I was laying on felt sleezy and disgusting. I already knew something was wrong when I "woke up". I don't sleep, I almost never blink. It was something I had to actually think about. I felt pain. It was all in my head and shoulder. My vision was fairly blurry. I was tired, hungry, and thirsty.

Something. Was. Wrong.

I somehow got my vision to clear and slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position only to have some hand gently nudge be back down.

Sam.

"Sam?"

"How you feeling?" he was the kind one.

"I guess bad."

"What happened?"

"You don't know?"

"I don't remember."

"How far back can you go?"

"Going to work. Something is wrong, Sam."

"No kidding."

By then Dean walked in the motel door with a bag of food in hand. "She lives, and we mean literally now."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"It means you have a pulse, a heartbeat, brain functions, survival instinct to eat and drink, as well as pain receptors," he flashed a small grin at that last part. "All the things that makes us-"

"Human?"

They both nodded.

I had to sit up for this. My breathing picked up from this momentary freak out and I couldn't take this lying down. "Holy shit. I'm human?!" The sharp stabbing pain that resonated through my shoulder quickly confirmed it.

Sam chuckled obviously at my expense, "Isn't being human fun?"

I swung my legs over the ledge of the bed taking stock of my situation: I was in clothes that weren't mine, my shoulder was on fire, and my head felt mildly woozy. On top of that Sam and Dean were here meaning they had to seek me out and took me some place that sure wasn't familiar to me. Oh joy, they took me into hiding. "If I remember correctly, pain in temporary so check back later for my reaction to being human." I sighed. Strange. "Do we have any clue as to how the hell that happened?"

Dean pulled out a chair and sat down, "We were hoping by the time you came out of your first nap that you would fill us in on that but we have Bobby working that out."  
"Does he have anything, because this human mind here doesn't remember much other than going to the club and stretching for my routine."

"Right, no. Nothing yet." He tossed me a taco which I gladly ate. Dear Hades I was hungry as fuck. Tacos are awesome! I wanted more!

It was awkward and silent for a while as I let processed this situation. The brothers were at least kind by keeping their teasing to a minimum. I was human. This was something I wanted when I was in Hell, just to understand what made them tick and what made them so admirable. Of course becoming a full-fledged human was impossible. Maybe it was because there was some kind of force that had to keep the evil in the word somewhat balanced, I don't know. The angels said they could do it with the power of their Father in exchange for the use of my skills. We all know how that panned out. It was worth a shot. "What about Cas?"

Sam scoffed, "What about him?"

I talked whilst chewing on more of my now third taco, "He might know something about how I became human."

Dean tossed me another taco, "You seriously think that he has something to do with this?"

"Remember when your little angel boyfriend and his mistress-er zapped us to crack Alistair, how I said they would make me human if I got what they wanted? Maybe they cashed in."

"Oookay, then why now? And why while you were…on the job?"

I shrugged, "Beats me. How about you make a call?"

There was a knock on the door but no one had a chance to answer; The door busted inwards and standing there was an old man, greasy looking, pretty much looking like he was dragged under a car. His eyes were black.

Demon. He didn't get far though with the devil's trap that Dean and Sam had I assumed Dean and Sam previously set up. The demon screamed in obvious frustration.

But for what?

We let him do his thing while Dean asked the tough questions. Who sent them, what for, and why. Pretty simple. The demon kept saying, "Her. They want her." It repeated that over and over again. It freaked me out with the double vocal chord thing. My human instinct (yeah, that thing exists) told me we had to get out of there. The bitch of that was the demon at my door. Sam was reluctant to use his latin which was pissing Dean off. "Take care of it, Sam!" Talk about tension.

I could see between them to see something come up from behind the demon. Female, tiny frame, long hair.

Ruby.

I didn't have time for this.

But instead of adding to the problem she did something that even surprised the Winchesters. The demon was killed leaving the human body dead on the floor with her standing above it with a knife in her hand. "You need to get out of here."

_**I'm so mean. So I lied when I said I was going to have this wrapped up before training week. I added a few more chapters to the plot plan. Yay, rejoice! Let me know what you think!**_


	10. Ironic

It took not even ten minutes before Ruby took care of the body and the brothers had packed the Impala, practically tossing Chris in the back seat next to Ruby. Dean peeled out and began to head south on a practically empty state route. The newly humanized Chris could barely distinguish words coming out of mouths in her medicated haze. She was still in the same scrubs that the busted her out in. "What the hell was that back there?" Dean asked.

"A demon, genius," Ruby snapped.

"No shit, who was it and what was it after?"

"It fucking told you, it was after her!"

"Okay then, so why?"

Ruby paused, "Hell is in an uproar."

Dean scoffed, "Yeah, well I'm pretty sure that comes with the name."

"More so than normal. What is normal down there is being destroyed because of her."

"Care to elaborate?" Sam asked.

"You want the whole story or Sparknotes? First with a preface."

"Ah jeez," Dean mumbled.

"After Dean got pulled out by your boyfriend angel, Hell went on a lockdown. The Higher Order was a little more active on border patrol more or less as a strategy. Lower Order went on business as usual. Your girl over here gets it in her head to go up and a few hundred years later and torturing Alistair gets her lack of presence noticed."

"And?"

"And The Lower Order gets word about her topside and it turns all Gaza Strip down there. They want her back to prove a point about the status quo and settle her kind down."

Chris mumbled, "I didn't want any of this."

Dean glanced back at the duo via rearview mirror, shaking his head. They were so tired and could only handle a few more hours of driving. Sam could read Ruby better. Ruby hated Chris, but it looked like she was being amicable towards a demon beneath her. "Why not let her go then?"

Ruby shrugged, "Let's just say that Alistair pissed me off enough that I had a change of heart."

"What were they going to do to her?" Dean asked. "She's human now and last we checked she hasn't made any deals."

"I was hoping you could get a hold of your little pocket angel and ask him. I don't know anyone down stairs other than maybe Lucifer who can pull that off."

"Cas isn't exactly the dependable angel type so we are on our own until we can at least see what Bobby pulls up."

"All I know from the grapevine is that this is going to be a show and it's going to debut somewhere in Texas, not sure where just yet but they were going to hold on to her for about a week before taking her down. Like I said, a show."

"Torture?" Dean asked.

Ruby nodded.

"Well, gotta hand it to you demons anyway, you make it poetic."

"Why are you so invested?" Sam asked.

"Why are you both questioning the opportunity to kill a demon of a higher title?"

/ / /

It was dawn when I Sam nudged me awake, just long enough to see a sign that said Lincoln, Nebraska and that Dean had pulled over to a motel. I still felt like I was hit with a bat, but the headache was gone and my shoulder went from sharp pain to just being an annoyance. Fuck, I was still in those scrubs from Rapid City. Sam and Dean unpacked, made their signs and traps, then and collapsed leaving Ruby to watch over me, something Dean allowed with reluctance. I was over the whole sleeping thing and was getting ansty. We had to give the brothers at least four or five hours so they could function. Ruby was content to stay with a gun in her hand making sure no one she knew got close to the door. I was never a patient demon. After a few episodes into a Doctor Who marathon I stood up, "Look, we need to get a few logistical things figured out."

Ruby didn't bother looking up at me, "When Sam and Dean are awake I will figure out where to find the demons, then we can move on. We need to be a little more alert and stealthy for now."

"Part of that is blending in, right?" I said, gesturing the rocking teal ensemble.

Ruby nodded, "Okay, I see what you mean." She got up and rooted through Dean's jeans. She pulled out his wallet and took a few cards. She handed me her gun, "You know how to use this?"

Thank god for television. I pretty much loaded and unloaded, turned the safety on and off, and showed her my stance. "Yeah, I think I know a thing or two."

She nodded and started to walk out the door, "I will be back, just stay here. You're what, a size ten on your lower half and medium up top."

I shrugged, "I guess so."

True to her word she was gone and back in thirty minutes. The boys never stirred. She came in with a plastic bag from Goodwill and one from a place that over used the yellow smiley face. She tossed it at me revealing a pair of jeans, a purple t-shirt, and a dark grey hoodie. The other bag, pretty much things you don't want to buy from any second-hand establishment; practical tennis shoes, underwear, and a sports bra. "Thanks."

"Just go shower and get out of the scrubs before Dean wakes up and takes all the hot water," she grumbled.

/ / /

Chris walked out of the bathroom with a full understanding of why the human race pursues the satisfaction of feeling refreshed. She also walked out to Dean standing and pulling his jeans on, Ruby looking pissed, Sam barely awake, and finally, Castiel. The angel must have recently flown in.

"We need to talk," he stated.

Chris pointed at herself, "As long as you explain why I'm suddenly human, I'm all ears."

"No, you're human, not a mass of one anatomical part."

"Cas," Dean interrupted. "Just talk."

"Right. Chris is human because The Garrison allowed it."

Chris shook her head, "Uh, I didn't find out who was killing the angels. You still took Dean."

"It was to ensure destiny would still carry on as Heaven and Hell plans-"

Dean stopped, "Wait a minute, this was a mutual thing?"

Cas replied, "Her actions have already greatly changed both sides strategies. Her return to Hell would put us all back on the right path."

Ruby looked pissed, "You gave her a soul and made a deal with it."

Sam: "How does that work?"

Cas sighed, "To put it briefly, I have willingly risked being cast out of Heaven to ensure no more harm happens upon Earth before it has to. So under the supervision of the Garrison we created a soul, condemned it to Hell, and gave it to her."

Chris looked like someone had murdered a puppy in the middle of the room. She leaned against the wall taking in his words. "I didn't have a choice?"

"No," Cas replied. "It is to ensure everyone's destiny and for the common good of man."

"But I haven't done anything wrong since I got up here. I built a life!" Chris was one the verge of tears. "You wrecked it and burned the ashes of what I had left, Castiel."

No one moved. Sam was remorseful. He was able to understand to a degree of what Chris was going through. Dean was pissed, but also understanding of how wrong it was to take away free will. "Cas, get out."

"It was for the best Dean."

"Now, Cas!"

/ / /

I was condemned to Hell. Sadly it was ironic but I should have known better. My fate and destiny was always predetermined in the end. When I thought I could escape it, something like this would come my way and serve as a bitch of a reminder of my place. Sam held out his hand to pull me away from retreating into myself. Dean walked out the door to go who-knows-where in the Impala. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little bit of conversation between Ruby and Cas, but nothing I could make out. It was just strange. Sam was talking, but I wasn't paying much attention. I held back and pushed down the emotional ball in my throat; Just as I had begun living I was going to die. I dare you to process that. I sat on the other bed in the room staring off into space. Sam said that they were going to figure it out and they weren't going to let me die. He assured that Ruby was going to help too, to which she nodded. "The angels may have forgotten that you have a little edge to fight off destiny, like we are," she said.

I scoffed, "Yeah and what is that, my old pole dancing routine?"

"Your blood."

"Huh?"

Sam moved away and walked to his bag while Ruby scooted closer to me, "You still have demon blood coursing through you because that is what you are first and foremost. Blood is forever for us, even if you are human, like Sam."

"I don't understand, how is that supposed to help?"

"You are going to help Sam help you and in turn help the world so he is strong enough to kill Lilith when we get a chokehold on her." Sam turned around with a silver blade in his hand. He looked mildly guilty. Ruby kept on talking, "Lilith is bound to break the rest of the seals on Lucifer's cage, but no one is strong enough to stop her, except for Sam. The problem is that he has to build up to get the job done. We can save the world and save you if we track her down as a team. You supply him while I do the hunting."

I looked up at Sam, "Does Dean know?"

"That doesn't matter, sweetheart, because he will never know."

Oh crap, that last phrase pretty much meant I was in trouble. Ruby pushed me down on the bed via demon mojo and pulled the sleeve down on my right arm. Sam straddled me and began to cut across my forearm. I panicked. This was wrong on all the levels. I tried to scream, but Ruby and her abilities were not going to let that happen.

It all went downhill from there when I could feel Sam sucking.

/ / /

Dean returned to the motel around noon. When he opened the door he found Sam coming out of the shower, acting as if it was just another morning. "Where is Ruby?" he asked.

"Out trying to figure out where this show is going to take place, you know, to get an edge," Sam replied.

Dean shook his head, "Still don't understand how you trust her dude. She could be the Benedict Arnold in this, bringing us to the fight."

Sam scoffed, "Then why would she also be pissed at the angels?"

"Oh I don't know, because she is a demon and lying is a general characteristic."

"And Chris wasn't?"

"Hey you defended her too."

"Whatever dude."

Dean looked around, "Where is she?"

"Out."

"What? Alone?"

"She has a phone, besides she is human, she's probably coping the human way."

"Since when did you stop caring, Sam?"

Sam sighed, "Look Dean, the plan is to go beat these demons, and save her as a way of sticking it to the garrison. I get the wrongs here man, we could be risking it all for one person, but aren't we doing the same thing by not saying yes to Michael and Lucifer. It's kind of business as usual at this point."

Dean didn't say anything. He was too pissed and proud to admit that his little brother was right. After the events of the morning he needed a drink.

/ / /

After the…event, I collected myself and wrapped my arm up. Sam left me alone. For that I was grateful, but I could never look at him the same ever again. This wasn't the Sam that Dean sold his soul for and that was upsetting. Ruby stood over me, threatening me that if I told Dean she would let me go back to Hell, not bothering to help.

Once I was content with my bandage job I put on my hoodie to hide it. I needed to get out of the motel room and do this thing called coping. Ruby handed me a cell phone and warned me that it had a GPS. If I went off they would find me.

I left and walked farther into town. I learned in the past that drinking sometimes helped with pain. I didn't have much cash, but I figured at least Sam, maybe Dean, would find me and cover my tab. Beer sounded good.

I went into the first bar I found. The place was fairly dark and empty save for the bartender. I ordered and opened a tab. No questions were asked. Thank Hades for small favors.

I quickly discovered I was a lightweight, but I was quiet. I hated the obnoxious drunks from my stripper days. I always like the silent ones. They didn't bother anyone. I just wanted to drink and forget. I wanted to forget that I was going to die and that I was blood-raped. I wanted to cry, but nothing would come. I understood what every high school angst film meant about feeling numb.

I drank and I drank. I looked up at the clock to see that it was noon thirty. I had been there for almost three hours. How I was still conscious was beyond me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and it belonged to Dean. When I looked up at him I was happy to see that he wasn't mad at me for taking off. He pulled up a stool and sat next to me. He didn't say much but he ordered his whiskey. We drank in silence. It was just about one in the afternoon when he asked, "You okay?"

I huffed, "Just drinking the irony away."

_**Any and all errors are mine. So this will be the last chapter for about a week and a half. I start 110 training week tomorrow and I am sooo excited to kick off my final marching season and start school. Leave a review and I might update sooner. Oh, oh, oh and I will be leaving a soundtrack for you guys soon. I always write with music to help me get the right feeling for the plot. Once I get a better hold of my shuffle I will post it!**_


	11. The End of the Day

_**I know I have been gone too long. Any and all mistakes are mine. The Marching 110 owns my soul and school has started. Already I'm drinking to cope with nasty senior seminars. I will try to update this as much as I can but I have some good news to segue: One of my classes is using fanfiction as a semester project! So if you get alerts updates from things that are not this that is a pretty good sign that it was for class. I hope you enjoy those as well.**_

I think we sat for about an hour. We didn't say much; he just worked on his two beers as I finished whatever numbing concoction I was on. "C'mon," he said "Too early to be too gone for the day." He grabbed me by the arm and helped me shuffle the way out of the bar and into the passenger side of the Impala. Dean got in and started driving to what I assumed was back to the motel. "Can we just stay away a little longer?" I asked.

He looked at me when we hit a stoplight, "Why?"

Should I tell him what happened with Sam and Ruby? Dean was already pissed at the angels for messing with something that wasn't theirs. I had seen Dean get pissed and that was something you didn't want to be around to witness. "I'm just not ready to go back yet."

"Okay? Then what do you expect me to do?"

I looked over at him trying to fight the dizziness that came with any swivel of my head, "Let's just stay away."

He sighed, "Yeah, whatever."

Dean turned the opposite direction of his intention and headed farther out into parts of town that seemed less populated. The farther we went the more I began to sober up and the vaster the landscape got. I never got this far south in the country. Dean pulled over after an hour of cruising into a gas station not to fill up, but for something. He came back with coffee and water. Guess which one he handed me first? "This will keep you from wanting death sooner rather than later."

I should have found that funny but I winced instead.

"Too soon?"

I nodded, "It hasn't been twelve hours. Yeah, a little too soon."

"Sorry."

"So what's the plan?"

"Working on it."

After that I couldn't tell you where the tears came from. Now I was mildly intoxicated, slightly sober, and very emotional. Damn these human feels. "I don't have a lot of time for you to be working on it! Castiel didn't give me a fucking due date so I could be mauled by Hell Hounds in a matter of seconds!"

"I know." He was way too calm.

"Then do something!" I was angry. So angry at him, at Sam, mostly at Cas, and scared of going back to Hell. I broke down in the passenger seat. Dean sat quietly and drove silently from there on out. We went farther into the vast nothingness through the afternoon and early evening. I alternated between controlled sobs to deathly silence while watching the world pass by me in a flash.

I didn't want to die. I wanted to live. I was living and I was enjoying every second of it. I had my lover, I had my own place. I had a choice. With choice there was always freedom and I was about to lose that and go back to something much worse than I was doing before my jail break. I had already lost enough.

By the evening when crickets began to chirp we pulled over and drove off road into the middle of a grass field. Dean got out of the car and opened my door. "What are we doing?" I asked.

"Just trust me," he replied.

I got out of the car finding my legs again and stood next to him. "Let it out," he said.

"What?"

"Scream, yell, do whatever you need to do."

I took about twenty step ahead of him and stood in the middle of the field. I let my voice be heard. It was almost primal but it felt so natural. I kept screaming until I had nothing left in me. The last few months of hurt and loss finally came out with some assistance from the anger over my impending doom. I was hoarse when I finished, empty, and clear. I walked back to Dean who was sitting on the hood of the Impala. He looked like he didn't judge me like he had before. That was nice.

"Better?" he asked.

I nodded, "Yeah. Not great, but better." I leaned against the front of the Impala next to him.

"I always thought people who did that were just crazy, self-help nut jobs, but after Hell I kind of get it. I usually wait until Sammy is asleep and I take off for a bit."

_After Hell._ Now I had to ask him for real, "So you do remember Hell?"

Dean didn't look at me, he stared straight ahead, but he nodded affirming.

"I'm so sorry, Dean."

"Nothing you can do about it. I just wish I could do it all over again."

"Why would you dare think that? I watched you suffer."

"Then you already know that I did things down there. I kickstarted the end of the world."

"You are human, Dean."

"But I was supposed to be stronger than that."

Alright, now for the tough question that I have been meaning to ask to gauge whether or not I should tell Dean that his brother was working with a demon. "You would sell your soul for your brother again and go back to Hell?"

Dean looked at me with a cold expression in his face, "In a heartbeat. He is all I have and I have screwed him up so much that it was the least I could do." Then he turned a question on me. "Would you go back just to fix what you screwed up in your time topside?"

For Annie I would do anything. I missed her. To never know what Sam did and see what kind of hurt it would do to Dean if he found out I would do anything. To wish just living like a human instead of wishing to be one completely and get screwed over by asshole angels I would do anything. "I see your point."

I looked over my shoulder and watched what would be the first, possibly my last, sunset. I had seen them before, but never paid much attention to them. They happened at the end of the day but I couldn't wait for the next one to start back when I was living with Annie. I took this moment in as I watched the sun slowly creep behind the flat horizon. It was just as beautiful as the sunrise. The way the eastern sky began to be lit up with stars as the sun went away was just as beautiful. The sky turned from orange, to pink, to purple in the most brilliant of ways. Now I wish I could go back and appreciate what this would mean to me later. Beginnings were always beautiful, but when you took stock at the end of the day it would still be beautiful. "You know that was my first sunset that I really got to see?" I said.

Dean smiled, "Well you will like the show that follows afterwards."

/ / /

They laid out on the hood of the Impala watching the stars. Chris didn't do much star gazing while she was free; it was hard to see anything under the city lights.

The two watched and talked about different things. They knew they were on the clock about Chris's upcoming finale but for a moment it would wait. Back and forth they asked questions and got to know each other a little better than what was at passing or in short chunks of conversation that involved her fate. Chris already knew so much about Dean Winchester from his time on the rack, but she learned more about the little details of his life. Obviously he was like parent to Sam and he felt the weight of that on his shoulders. Although he really liked his one-nighters he still harbored for one woman which was pretty romantic in Chris's book.

Chris didn't have much to say about her earth life. She had barely been up for a year. She admitted she missed Annie, the one person she was able to become close with and that lying to her hurt the most. Of course Dean asked which way she swung and Chris laughed it off. She said that she was a demon so she didn't have much of a preference. Sex was pretty casual, and although she didn't get much out of it then, she was glad to help others. It was a nice change of pace from what she did back in the day.

Then Dean had to ask about what she did in Hell.

"I tortured souls. I was pretty good at it too," she said flatly.

"How good?" Dean asked.

"I was Alistair's main apprentice. I had a good idea of what they sold their souls for before he could tell me anything so I made the process ironic. So yeah,I was pretty damn good."

"You didn't-"

"No, Dean. I didn't touch you."

"Why?"

Chris thought about how she wanted to answer that. "When soul crash in, the other lower order demons and I would take bets on how long it would take for you to break. You're the reason why I lost some overtime down there."

He chuckled. "Honestly I-"

"Just wish you lasted longer?"

He nodded.

Chris sighed, "Dean, I watched you all those years. I knew there was something different about you when I figured out why you sold your soul. Most dumbasses did it for fame, fortune, and to keep on lying, but what you did was pretty damn selfless." She chuckled, "You know my peers used to say back then that I would probably be the first demon to have a soul and feel for a sucker."

/ / /

Dean's phone rang destroying the moment. The caller ID belonged to Sam. "What do you have Sam?"

"Ruby got wind on when the hounds will strike and where they are."

"Awesome."

"Yeah. She said we need to get Chris some place safe, like a church, and head to Lubbock."

"And who would be waiting for her in Lubbock? More importantly if Ruby knows this why is she telling us what to do? You know we can't trust her, Sam."

"Just listen Dean. Look, Ruby is on our side so deal with it."

"Okay, then why Lubbock, did they expect us to travel there by watching whatever crystal ball the have?"

"I don't know." But Sam did know. Lilith was close. This was his way of getting to her without causing a fight between him and his older brother. "Just trust me on this one."

"Alright. So does this mean we have an actual deadline for her?"

"Yeah. It is tomorrow night so we will leave first thing in the morning."

Dean closed the phone and looked back to Chris who was waiting patiently, "Alrighty, let's get out of dodge."

"What did Sam have to say?" she asked.

"We have to get you some place safe while we head to Lubbock tomorrow to take care of this."

"Define safe place?"

"I don't know, but I don't trust Ruby's choice of establishment."

Already Chris was on edge. After what happened earlier that day with Sam and her blood she didn't feel safe around either of them.

/ / /

Ruby wanted me to stay alive. I know why. I don't like it one bit. I would rather die than be used for blood. Ruby was using him too. She knew just as well as I did that Lilith was a seal and that she intended to have Sam break her. Dean already started the end, she wasn't going to let Sam finish it off. It would also protect Dean from finding out about the blood addiction.

The ride back to the motel was quiet. When I entered the room Sam acted as if nothing had happened and we all settled for a few hours of sleep. It was an eleven hour drive to Lubbock. Dean already planned on having shifts to get through it.

Of course I couldn't sleep. Some old demon habits die hard, but mostly was because I wanted to savor every moment of being alive.

I had a plan after a few hours. I was going to defy all orders to stay in a safe place. The demons want me, they can have me, but not without a message. The guy who was in charge of the Hell Hounds was called The Collector. He was always there to collect the soul. For this instance he would make an actual appearance and not hide in the shadows. Then he would release his hounds on me. Dean and Sam would try to kill him but I knew that they would both die doing it. The hounds make it a little tricky.

Thus far my plan involved nabbing one of their demon blades, go for the kill and let the hounds take me from there. The brothers would be fine, Sam wouldn't get any blood from me, and Dean wouldn't have to know.

Of course, these are the Winchesters and they will feel some guilt over this. They would tell you that they don't and say that they have moved on, but I learned more than I let on in Hell about Dean and his brother. I had a lot to say and not enough time or a place to say it. I looked around the motel and found some of that complementary pens and notepads and started writing. Whether they read it or not was up to them, but this was for my own sake. I could say what I needed to say and not worry about upsetting their balance as brothers.


	12. Orders

I think I fell asleep at the little table with three hours to spare before we would have to take off in the morning. Sleep is interesting. I have had only three periods of it and it is a lot like limbo. Just nothingness and the world shuts down just for you to rest. I wish I could sleep more. Dean nudged me awake and within five minutes we were on the road. The sun had begun to rise in the east as we headed straight south to Lubbock. It would take, with Dean driving, close to ten hours to get there. For that I was grateful, it gave me time to think. Part of me wanted to say screw it and go hide, the other part of me said fight then run, then there was this little voice that said sacrifice was the way.

Sam didn't say much. I didn't expect him to. Too be honest I didn't know what to expect from him. When he needed blood he was scary. When he got what he needed or didn't crave it he was a good guy. I wished he could see what his brother saw and realize what he was doing was wrong on all levels.

I think I slept through the rest of Nebraska and a few counties in Oklahoma. By the time we hit Texas we stopped on the side of the road to stretch out before another four hour stretch. Ruby called Sam as soon as we got out of the car. Regretfully I had to wait to see what move she would make which would either make or break my few plans. Sam returned looking hopeful, "She has a safe place about ten miles from where we need to go. We'll just have to swing by and drop her off and put up some traps."

Dean nodded, "So where do we have to go?"

"A cemetery on the outer edge of town. She said we were going to meet The Collector."

"The what?"

"The Collector," I chimed in. "Basically he is like a reaper but more of the dog trainer. No one says much about him because all his work is behind the scenes."

"Wow. Hell has its own K-Nine unit."

"Whatever. I'm not going to that safe house."

Sam wasn't pleased, "But we're trying to save you."

I stood up, "Look as much as I appreciate it you guys don't really know what you are doing. Ruby doesn't know this demon like I do. You show up without me one of you is going to get hurt. Besides, it is me they are after and if you want to get rid of one of Hell's key players, you're looking at the key to undo it. He won't show up for humans unless they have sold their souls. They have plans so you don't fuck with them."

"Bobby will find a way," Dean said.

I wished that was the case. "Look as much as owe that old fart for getting my ass out of trouble back South Dakota he hasn't responded and we are running out of time."

"So you are going to offer yourself up as bait?"

"'Offer' would be if I had a choice. Your plan was fucked up from the get-go. You need me and I need a way out so yeah, I'm not going to the safe house. The hounds more than likely have my scent so it is pointless. They will find me and I die, probably after they get you, Dean."

/ / /

The next four hours passed in silence between them. Sam napped through most of it leaving Chris and Dean to watch the road. The only thing in the air was the quiet hum of the classic rock radio Dean had playing. The days were getting a little shorter now that it was fall and it was dark as they entered Lubbock corporation limit. They pulled over to gas up at a Mom n' Pop establishment and Dean swung around the corner of the street to pick up food leaving Sam with Chris. Chris was nervous around Sam after what happened in Nebraska. She couldn't understand why he didn't feel bad for what he had done and been doing while Dean was in the pit. So they sat in silence as they waited. When Dean was out of eyesight Sam turned over to face Chris in the back seat. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

Chris didn't turn he sight away from the corner Dean turned on previously, "What?"

"Why the sudden change of heart?"

"About what?"

"Wanting to be saved?"

Chris then turned to look at him, "Are you that stupid?"

"I'm just asking."

"No, you are planning. You don't want me to do this so you can keep me around and use me for whenever Ruby doesn't answer your call."

"If you are talking about what happened in Lincoln I'm-"

"Lincoln was just the starting point. Do you have any idea what your brother went through in Hell while you were up here alive?"

"He told me he didn't remember a thing."

"When have you known your brother to be honest about what he was or is going through?"

"He would have told me."

Chris scoffed. "He sold his soul to a demon to save you, and you go and work with one. Dean should have kicked your ass. Then you go and drink the blood."

"You don't understand."

"Look I get the whole revenge thing, but you are pretty clueless about where your allies really stand."

"What are you saying?"

"Do your homework and find out who Lilith really is before you get another fix from Ruby."

Sam was frustrated now, "She is a demon, she wants to break the seals and release Lucifer, everyone knows that."

"Exactly Sam. And Ruby keeps leading you closer and closer but, oh, she isn't there. See a connection?"

Just as Sam was to come up with a counterargument Dean returned with food. He could sense that there was tension, "What did I miss?"

"Nothing, just drive," Sam replied.

They stopped a few miles down the road to gear up. Shot guns were loaded, holy water replenished in their flasks, and the demon knives were sharpened. Despite not being a demon anymore Chris was weary of the knife the moment she touched it. Still she tucked it into the sleeve of her jacket. Dean caught the sight, "Just a little ironic there."

Chris chuckled, "I know how you guys feel about destiny and I guess I can say that I'm all about giving destiny a bitch slap in the face." When the brothers had turned away, Chris took out a bobby pin from her hair and started scratching something onto the blade.

The cemetery wasn't too far out of a thicket on the edge of the road. If they needed to get anywhere fast the Impala was there. Chris was familiar with The Collector's presence whereas the brothers never knew he existed. Although she was human now she still retained a few demon characteristics; on top of the blood she still could see some visions. Chris could still see two hell hounds prowl around the cemetery's perimeter. "The mutts are here," she said. "He can't be too far from here. At least he didn't bring back-up."

"And that is supposed to make us feel better?" Dean asked sarcastically.

They walked further into the cemetery, closer to the older and highly neglected headstones that have turned white from age. The brothers spotted a figure sitting next to the tallest headstone. That's him, Chris thought. The brothers were prepared and had their shotguns at the ready with Chris between them. The figure stood up and stared them down. The Collector took the cemetery's maintenance man, old and scruffy. It was a little funny to Chris seeing is that it was what he resembled in Hell. "Hello…what are they calling you now?" he asked. It was one of the rare times that Chris heard The Collector speak. He had a such deep vocals that some would believe (and rumor had) were blessed by the devil to be so evil and heartless. He didn't do much outside of collecting the souls when they were dead, but if he needed to he would be able to get what he wanted by fear.

Chris didn't give him an answer.

"Look, you had your little play time and now it is time for you to come home, do your chores, face a few consequences."

"And take away her freedom? Not a chance," Dean said.

"Freedom?" he chuckled. "How long were you out of Hell, Winchester? Don't you remember how things work down there?"

"I have a soul now," Chris said. "And it was signed away without my permission, without a deal made by me, sealed with a kiss, blah, blah. You can't take me, no matter what the angels worked out."

"Oh you sweet little piece of nothing, if you haven't noticed, you are a big deal around these parts. Your fifteen minutes of fame are up. You don't know how you have changed things in the grand scheme."

"Wouldn't a demon overhaul topside help the homefront efforts?"

"You and I both know that isn't what your leaders want."

Sam spoke, "Then what do they want?"

"The story to come true."

Dean never faltered from his stance, "Lucifer will not win, nor will Heaven. You all can take your prize match somewhere else."

"God made Earth. That is what this fight is about you filthy piece of shit."

"Then where do I play in the scheme, really?" Chris asked.

The Collector took a few steps closer to the three of them. "You don't. You have caused so much trouble making us halt everything to prove to you and your kind that you have your place, just as Sam and Dean do." The Collector pulled a knife out of his pocket; it was the knife made in Hell that only demon's of official standing would have. Red blade, white hilt, and demon spells etched on the blade crudely.

Sam and Dean kept their weapons up. "You're not taking her," Dean growled. He took a shot at The Collector in his chest, but it barely made a dent in him.

"Puny human. If you're going to kill me you're going to have to u the ante. That right there only felt like a I sprinted a mile."

Chris pushed the brothers out of her way to stand in front of them. "He's right."

The look on their faces was utter disbelieif, "Chris, what are you doing?"

"I told you that you dweebs didn't know what you were doing." Chris turned around and winked before she took those few steps closer to The Collector.

The look on the demon's face was satisfaction. "You know, I was hoping for a fight. Hell loves a good show."

Chris took a few more steps and soon she stood right on his toes. "So do I." She slipped the knife from her sleeve and jabbed the blade into the hole already in The Collector's chest.

The demon howled something awful, something between a Nazgul cry and a dragon growl. The stab paralyzed him then felled him to the ground. From there Chris ran back. "Go, go, GO!" she shouted at the brothers.

/ / /

So far, so good, I thought. I made my statement and now was the time to survive it. I was honestly surprised at how easy it was to take The Collector down. Then again, I was a professional at torture and the like. Now the hell hounds didn't have their handler around to keep in check. We had to run, hope that some luck would land on our side as we bolted from them. We jumped and dodged headstones as we went. Those damned things hindered our speed. People need to be cremated more often. I could sense that they were on my tail getting dangerously close, but we kept running. Dean turned around a few times to shoot at the hounds. Kind of hard when you couldn't see them, but it kept at least one of them from getting too close. Sam tried a few shots at the other but I could tell they were clear misses. Dean tried another shot and nailed a hound. The squeal made me feel a little better but there was still another nipping at my heals.

The Impala was in sight. Freedom, albeit as Hell's fugitive, was in reach.

I think I was within fifteen feet of the back door when everything went south. I tripped in some hole in the ground and fell face first into the dirt. I could see that Sam and Dean were still ahead of me. I didn't yell or scream. I knew I was doomed right then and there and the last thing I wanted on my conscious was Sam and Dean dead from a hell hound rescue. I tried to get myself up but I already felt a tug on my jeans and a sharp flash of pain on my right leg.

I screamed and fought back by kicking with my good leg. That move bought me a few more feet and the brother's attention. Dammit.

The hound was back on my and sank its claws on my right side, pulling and spinning me onto my back. Still I fought. I knew I was dead meat but I guess that was a human instinct to fight whatever was going to kill you. There was no flight option. I kicked and grabbed the hounds muzzle, but that damn mutt was strong enough to get out of my grasp and take a chomp out of my hand.

It was like fire and poison running through my side, leg, and hand with every move. Then it was like the movies and television shows. The main character would be in the middle of some traumatic event and the world went silence minus the high pitched squeal. What I was going through was kind of like that. The character would then struggle to snap out of it and finally come back to the scary world around them stronger and determined to move on.

Gunshots and the feeling of being pulled from my arms brought me back.

I couldn't really move my body like I wanted to. Nothing was responding. I was just there trying to breath and hold in any squeal I would make. When I turned my brain on I realized that Sam was half-dragging, half-carrying me back to the Impala and Dean was shortly behind making shots. Doors opened, I was dragged into the backseat, Dean shut the place up but the impact of a hell hound hitting the car was scary obvious. I heard one more gunshot and then the engine started up. The details following got fuzzy.

_**Sorry it has been so long since I updated. Again, any and all errors are mine. I was writing this on a bus back from New York with the band. I decided that this whole damn thing with be a fanfiction project for my creative writing class so I will let you know what kind of grade I get on it. Yeah, you be jelly. My college creative writing class uses fanfiction!**_


	13. A Message

Sam used what he could to hold the pieces of Chris together improvising a seatbelt for a tourniquet and his plaid shirt to half the hemorrhaging on her right side. The hand would have to wait until he could keep the bleeding to a minimum, but there was already so much on the backseat and the floor, and the door handle.

"Sam, I need details," Dean said, punching the gas willing the Impala to go faster. He was looking for a sign, any sign that would lead them to help.

"Working on it, but we need to get her to hospital. I can't fix this." He looked down and saw that Chris was struggling. Her breathing was wrong, her color was pale, and it seemed like she was straddling the fine line of dying and fighting. "How far is the nearest place?"

"Not sure, but we will get her there. Just keep her together, alright?"

The sun was beginning to go down and the roads were getting darker by the second. There were no hospital signs to be seen. Dean was ready to pull out his phone and call for help to come to them.

Sam could feel her blood seep through his shirt and into his fingers. The bleeding would stop. Chris was starting to feel cold. "Godammit, fight!"

"Sammy?"

"I can't get it to stop."

"Just keep working on it!"

"I don't think I can." Sam peeling back the shirt to check on the wound. He regretted doing so the minute blood spurted out and sprayed him in the face. He wanted to taste it, but now was not the time, not in front of Dean in a time like this.

Chris opened her eyes and fixed on Sam's. She didn't have the energy to move and could feel things being tied tight around her and pressing on her. The pain was incredible, but all she could muster were a few short breaths.

Sam felt her move, "Hey, hey, just hang tight. We'll get you some help." He looked back up to Dean, "She's still with us."

"Well that's great, still can't find a goddamn ER or a fucking clinic," he said, slamming his hand on the steering wheel.

Chris shifted, wincing. "Stop," she croaked.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Stop," she said again.

"Dean, stop the car," Sam said.

"Are you fucking kidding me? She'll die if we do," Dean replied.

"Stop," she said again. This time it sounded like she was using her last breath.

Dean heard it and his heart dropped. He eased the car to a stop on the side of the road, careful to avoid any and all pot holes. When he did he got out of the driver's seat and threw open the back seat from which Sam had previously pulled Chris through. He had not a moment before to see the shape she was in. He cursed under his breath when he saw the blood all over the back seat. Chris was struggling to breath and looked close to death.

"Sammy?"

"I have done all that I can, Dean."

"Well do more?"

Chris wheezed and lifted her destroyed hand, "Stop…just stop."

Dean shook his head, "Not on your life."

"Please?"

The way she said it made Dean stop. She was pleading. "What can we do, Chris?"

"No way…you guys can stop this…too far gone, huh?"

"You're gonna be okay," Sam lied.

"You're funny…Look at my fluids on your face…you guys have been awesome…but the only thing holding me together is a s-shirt and a seatb-belt. My hand is…pretty messed up and I'm starting to lose some feeling…in my legs." She wheezed and used her good hand to push Sam's away from her bloody side. "I know I'm…dying, guys."

"You're not going to die," Sam reassured, lying again. Dean shot him a glare. Dean was getting realistic about the situation. Chris wasn't going to make it, even if they called for help. It was a matter of when now.

Chris smiled, "You two suck at lying…funny how you guys do it for a living." She gasped sucking in air, "I don't…think you can save me."

Dean shook his head, "S'Not supposed to be this way."

"When can…anything we do…go as planned? "Hell, the…only thing that…has gone as planned…was the part of me dying."

She lost her color and started to shiver. Chris was going into shock. There wasn't anything the brothers could do at this point. This was out of their hands, and they both hated that. They stayed with her though. Dying sucked, but it sucked a little less when you weren't alone. Both brothers could attest to that.

"Fight…the good fight," She wheezed. "Fight for…freedom."

The shivering stopped. Chris' eyes were closed by Sam after they made sure no more would come of her.

/ / /

It was past midnight when the brother's pulled over into a patch of woods in the middle of nowhere of Texas. They argued back and forth about what to do about Chris in the back seat, however they didn't take sides. They both wanted to burn her remains but they both argued to give her a proper burial seeing as she died a human. They settled on burning the remains figuring some demon might make a beeline to her meatsuit and use it against them.

Sam gathered the wood to make the pyre while Dean hung back to take care of the body and blood, wrap it, and secure it. That was all it was now, just a body. Chris was a demon, he tried to reason. There was nothing there that was attached to who Chris was. It was just a costume, yeah, a costume. No reason to get worked up over it. When Sam had the pyre put together they both hauled her body to the top. They didn't hesitate to douse her in gasoline and light a match, but they watched as her remains burned.

"Have to admit," Sam said. "She was pretty cool for a demon."

Dean nodded, "No, she was far more human than you think. She at least had a soul when she was in Hell."

"How so?" Sam asked. "Dean, what do you remember?"

Dean stared intently at the fire. "More than you think, but I know she didn't touch me."

"Fair enough."

The fire burned long into the dawn. What ashes did remain hey gathered into an empty beer can and buried it between two trees. They would clean up what was left of the blood in the backseat when they were at Bobby's. Dean said they needed to take a little bit of time off from hunts after what just happened. Sam agreed, but he was antsy. He needed a fix.

He liked Chris, but he knew he used her. If she had fully realized his argument, he rationalized, she would have stayed in a safe house and they would have taken care of this. Chris would still be alive.

Dean was all about sticking it to destiny and fate. He didn't believe in such things, that there was always a choice. That was why he refused to be Michael's vessel. He had to admit that he took to Chris when he trusted her intentions, back when she was looking to be human, to get out of hell and be her own 'person'. She was tired of being told that she had a job and was stuck with it forever. She was stronger than he was. Dean could never escape the life, but Chris was in her own different but similar situation. The fate of the earth was about to be thrown into another ring of fire with her presence and how it ruined Hell and Heaven's plans for the end of days. She had enough and left.

What was she going through down there? he thought. Was she on the rack or was she back to where she once was? Either way, it wasn't how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to be human, live out her days, and live in a reality that she dreamed of. Chris, only wanted freedom.

Three days later the brothers were back in Sioux Falls.

They regained their own screwed up version of normal. Banter, light pranks, and Led Zeppelin. Bobby was in and out recovering the fake information and papers that he had made for Chris. It would be like she didn't exist. In the process they found out that Annie, who Chris had spent a good part of her human life with, was killed in a suspicious death. All the clues that Bobby found was linked up to demons and hell hounds. "Probably what they used in case she wouldn't go quietly," he reasoned.

In the evening, after a few shots of whiskey Dean started to clean the blood out from the car. Any trace of her had to be removed. He had gotten scary good at cleaning up crime scenes. Sam stayed in the house helping Bobby research a case for Rufus.

While cleaning out the trunk, ridding of any of her old stuff, a piece of paper fell out, an envelope from that motel stationary back in Lincoln. The envelope had their names on it. Dean stepped aside leaning on a tool bench, opened it, and read it. It was clearly in Chris's hand writing.

_Sam and Dean,_

_I figured that if you found this I bit the dust. I learned this from a movie so don't make jokes about this being cliché. Television was my teacher if you will. I have my reasons to go to The Collector with you despite what Ruby suggested. I don't like that bitch, I don't trust her. Dean, you are probably on my side on this one. _

_I know that I lost my free will, something you two value the most, but I figured that I can really stick it to the man downstairs and make a statement to the higher demons and start a revolution with my kind. We aren't so different. Dean, I think this may have made us a little closer. I am pretty sure you were ready to do nothing but kick ass when you found out you only had a year to live. You wanted to go out on your own terms, and so did I. No way do I plan to go quietly to the big boss. No way did I want to sit through what I had dished out to thousands of souls before. I know I may be getting that treatment now, but wishful thinking if you will._

_I guess the point of this letter was to assure you two that my death isn't and never will be your fault. Dean, you are the strongest person I know. I doesn't matter if you broke the seal, you didn't mean to and you didn't know. It was a dirty trick if you ask me. Keep doing what you do. Don't say yes to those dicks upstairs. Sam, I worry about you, I really do. I think I already told you why, but hopefully this will jog your memory if you forgot. Just stay away from Ruby. She was never any good and she will never be good. I understand you want revenge, but if your brother isn't worried about then you shouldn't be. Just don't do anything stupid. Don't be a dumb-ass-in-distress. You can redeem yourself, but please do go a path that would require you to._

_More importantly, thanks. I mean it. Bobby too. I got to do something no one would dream of back in the lower order. I got to do my own thing. Yeah I get that it would throw the balance of the end of days off and both sides just don't want to share, but it was fun. Freedom is awesome. So thank you for everything. I don't know if I can say it enough. If you see Annie or hear from her, just tell her that I miss her and I'm sorry._

_Thank you,_

_Chris._

_**I am done. Ladies and gentlemen, "How To Train Your Demon" is finished. Thanks for going on this ride with me. I think though I will be heading back to this fic I have abandoned and pissed so many people off in doing so. I just got inspired again. I remembered why I love writing again.**_


End file.
